Parent removed after shouting match with board member at Shenandoah school board meeting
MIDDLETOWN, Ind. (WISH) — Before the Shenandoah school board meeting even started Monday, a group of parents and at least one board member got into a heated argument about the school district’s mask mandate — but once the meeting started, tempers flared.
Mary Cantu told I-Team 8 that she pulled her youngest child out of the school district earlier this year.
“We have a right to be heard. They totally dismissed everything we had to say,” said Cantu.
All students attending Shenandoah schools are required to wear a mask while inside the buildings, and the school board also requires anyone attending their meetings to wear a mask. Those who refused to comply were escorted from the building — but not before a great deal of shouting.
“They say you have to wear your mask to enter, and immediately people got irate over it. They knew that was going to happen — the people that didn’t wear a mask didn’t go in,” said Brooke Greer.
The board also requires anyone wishing to address the board to sign up before the meeting. Brooke Greer and her husband, Jason Greer, signed up well in advance to speak about the mandate. Jason Greer gave a detailed presentation.
“He is there to support why the masks are hindering our children,” said Brooke Greer.
His presentation was interrupted more than once by school board members. Brooke Greer told I-Team 8 that her husband and one of the board members had verbally tangled at a previous meeting.
“Tension was high before we even walked in there,” said Brooke Greer.
Once Jason Greer finished, the debate between he and at least one board member continued. As his wife was preparing to speak, the emotions of the meeting erupted and Jason Greer called one of the board members an idiot.
“Jason said, ‘You are not even listening to me.’ And he was like, ‘I don’t have to listen to you — you’re not making any sense.’ So Jason called him an idiot and then he went ballistic — he was climbing across the table cussing at him,” said Brooke Greer.
Jason Greer was escorted from the meeting, while the board member, Alan Troxell, remained.
The superintendent of Shenandoah schools sent I-Team 8 a statement.