Despite COVID cases soaring in Cobb County, the Cobb County Board an item was absent from the agenda on Thursday’s meeting- the handling of COVID by the district. This comes after a parent rally advocating for a mask mandate and Board Vice-President, David Banks, making the news for responding to constituent’s concerns with conspiracy theories.
At the end of the PM work session, Leroy “Trey” Hutchins Board member for Post 3 requested for the protocols around COVID-19 to be added. This was followed by interim board attorney, Nina Gupta explaining that agenda items a can be added if the emergency is time sensitive or an emergency.
Chairman Randy Scamihorn then inserted to Hutchins, “We have a procedure for that and it’s not an emergency.”
This was followed by Board member Jaha Howard questioning the process while Scamihorm tried to move the meeting into executive session. Ultimately the motion by Hutchens to add it to the agenda was rejected in a 4-3 vote along party lines.
At the same meeting the vast majority of public comments centered around COVID-19 while a large crowd gathered outside to protest the lack of COVID protocols by community members.
In a Facebook post late Wednesday, Dr. Jaha Howard addressed the spectacle yesterday.
“COVID-19 safety measures did not make it on the agenda for discussion. Agenda items are added by either the Board Chairperson, the Superintendent, or with the support of 4 of the 7 board members. This agenda item did not have enough support.” Howard wrote.
Dr. Jaha Howard, Cobb County Board of Education
The majority of public comments at the work session were about COVID-19 while outside there was a large crowd assembled to protest the lack of COVID protocols by community members.