A Nolensville mother says Williamson County School (WCS) System officials suspended her two children indefinitely because they won’t wear their COVID-19 masks on campus.
Both children attend Mill Creek Middle School.
Kristin Benton said her children’s In-School Suspension (ISS) started Monday. She said the WCS will only take her children back into regular school if they either agree to wear COVID-19 masks or sign a religious exemption.
As of Wednesday, they remain suspended.
Benton cited the work of an industrial hygienist who says masks are ineffective against the spread of COVID-19 and even cause harm when worn over long periods of time.
“As a parent it is my responsibility to protect my kids,” Benton told The Tennessee Star on Wednesday.
“I can’t in good conscience put my kids in masks knowing it could harm them.”
WCS spokeswoman Carol Birdsong said via email Wednesday that she could not discuss a student’s disciplinary issues.
Benton said her two children — in the sixth-grade and the eighth-grade — have no prior history of disciplinary issues at school. She said her two children, while in ISS, have access to computers and do schoolwork, but they do not receive any other instruction.
“My children are very bright, and I work with them a lot,” Benton said.
“They have excellent grades, but, in theory, if they reach a point where they are unable to learn the material on their own and are unable to then pass their tests and their quizzes then, in theory, they could be failed [for the school year].”
Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw ruled last month that Williamson County Schools could force students to wear masks, temporarily halting an executive order by Governor Bill Lee that previously made masks optional.
“Based on the record before the court, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Williamson County, including at plaintiffs’ schools, along with a significant number of students who have opted out, plaintiffs have likewise been denied access to a safe, in-person education experience,” Crenshaw wrote, justifying his decision.
Benton told The Star that some people have accused her of forcing her children not to wear masks at school. She said that’s not true.
“My daughter says ‘When I think about the future and where we could go if we don’t fight this then that brings a wave of panic over me,’” Benton said.
“My daughter also said ‘I realize that we have to fight it now so, that way, our future is better.’”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kids Wearing Masks” by Williamson County Schools.
Dear Confmist Shills for Vaccine Profits:
What will you do when parents and students choose to exercise their Rights? When they choose to remove themselves from your prison camps misnamed schools? When your federal – and state – dollars-per student dry up as attendance declines?
Oh, I can guess. You’ll then push the “truancy; public school is mandatory; they have no choice” platform. You’ll then push the idea that hme schooling is inferior, when in fact ALL records show it is actually better at preparing students for academic and real life success.
Go ahead, make yourself and your ricebowl jobs irrelevant. More than they already are. Hope you have a fully-finded retirement plan, because the time fast approaches where parents will refuse payment of taxes to support you, and will demand individual accountability. It’s happened before, but you probably don’t know that becasue the history books have been “sanitized” by other like you.
Have ANY of these nimrods considered what impact the face diapers have on kids with hearing or speech impediments? They have a difficult enough time trying to comprehend and communicate as it is. Seems like some ADA violations here.
Not a surprise coming from the rich and famous of Williamson County. As Rick stated, The wealthy (in dollars, not sense) have overrun what was once a very nice place to live. And this cancer is spreading in all directions from Nashville aka Sin City.
Now is the time for conservatives to “never let a crisis go to waste.”
Time to abandon public schools and also abandon private schools which are knock off public schools.
Parents – Public schools do not serve your children – THEIR OWN DATA PROVES IT!
Public schools are only competent at teaching/ indoctrinating leftist themes.
Get your student’s a good education through home schools, church schools, and valid on-line and private schools.
As a society, we should fund one education per student. And that education should be selected by the parents.
Advocate for vouchers. They are supported by all demographic groups, including all minority groups. When you speak up for vouchers, state that they are “for all of us.” Say it with emotion as you make a circling gesture with your hands.
Let the money follow the student!
Call the needed voucher legislation the “For The Children Act!”
Tyranny. In Williamson County no less….
So Crenshaw makes a ruling rooted in fear and fake science vs common sense and real science. Politics from the bench is such a disgusting practice.
Our State Legislature needs to pass a law that allow parents to take the money allocated to the public school system and apply it to the private education of their choosing. If they don’t, our Representatives are not only NOT doing their jobs, they are also accomplices in the abuse of minors!
Move to Williamson County best school system in the state. What propaganda! Better be careful what you say, Joe Bitmes attorney general will sick the Federal Gestapo on you! This is what happens with all of the nuts that have moved in from everywhere. This county is one of the few places that make me appreciate that I cannot afford to live there in the land of fruits and nuts!
There are good people there, all are not bad but, it is not what it use to be.