GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Three Ottawa County state lawmakers sent a letter to the county's public health department urging it to not mandate masks for schools.
Last week, three other state lawmakers did the same in Kent County.
Mark Huizinga (R-Walker) said he co-signed the letter because he said "mandates treating things black and white, they just don't work that well."
While he respects Health Director Dr. Adam London, the decision making process should be at a school board level.
"It was more of a preemptive thing to make sure that he knows that we believe that it should be a local decision," said Huizinga, "And not be a county-wide black and white perspective."
Part of the letter, which you can read more here, said "We in the Legislature are willing to use the constitutional tools at our disposal — including the power of the purse — should a public health officer act outside the sphere of proper authority."
That comment hit a chord with state representative David LaGrand (D-Grand Rapids).
"As far as I'm concerned, the health department is part of our public safety network," said LaGrand, "It keeps the public safe. I do not want to cut funding for public safety. I don't want to cut funding for any variety of public safety options. And it's strange to be in a space where we're talking about cutting, defunding public safety, over a mask mandate."
LaGrand went on to explain in matters such as health, having an expert matters. The health expert in Kent County would be the director of the Public Health Department.
"I think that in America, a lot of what we do is we have fun with things like football, right?" said LaGrand, "Where your team fights against my team, and one team wins. And I think culturally, we're in a place where we just think that everything has to be a contest, and everything has to have winners and losers, and everything has to have sides. It floors me. I mean, we didn't have this discussion about polio. We're not having this discussion about West Nile."
County health departments do have the power to issue a mask mandate for schools. Kent and Ottawa Counties have not done that at this time. Both are referring to the state health department and CDC guidelines, and strongly recommending mask wearing in schools.
"We're not political. We're not part of a party. We're health experts," said Marcia Mansaray, Deputy Health Officer for Ottawa County Department of Public Health, "We're neutral. We're following the science. We're trying to make the best decision. We have the responsibility. And we have the duty given to us by the State of Michigan. So, failure to act when we should act is also heavier weight as as acting too much."
Mansaray said they act when there is an imminent health threat. Right now, there is one with the Delta variant of COVID-19.
"We're having those conversations," said Mansaray, "We do have draft frameworks of what we would be looking at. And we will act if feel that we need to."
Meanwhile, Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) feels it should be left to the parents to decide whether or not to send their child to school with a mask. He said he is listening to his constituents on what they would like to see done in his district.
"At the end of the day, I don't believe masks are that effective in school," said Meerman, "And so, if you're that concerned about COVID, try to figure a way out how to not send your kids to school do it remotely."
REALTED VIDEO: Parents react to reversed decision from Grand Rapids Public Schools on masks in class
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