Reopen Charles County, a 1400+ member group will hold its fourth peaceful demonstration to advocate for community members in the wake of more pandemic response-related restrictions.
On Wednesday, August 4, at 6:30 pm, supporters will gather at 3785 Leonardtown Rd, Waldorf, MD 20601 to hear testimony from concerned parents, students, and community members who are being negatively impacted by the reimposition of a mask mandate for all staff and students and a vaccine mandate on student-athletes.
On July 29, the new superintendent of Charles County Public Schools announced an immediate policy change of mask-optional learning to universal masking of all students, staff, and teachers, a reversal of policy less than 30 days after the previous mask policy had finally been dropped. There seems to have been no consultation with the current elected Board of Education and no survey was sent to parents, a sharp departure from the policy of the previous administration.
Along with the mask mandate comes a requirement that all student-athletes must receive the COVID-19 vaccination or else be subjected to invasive weekly PCR testing. Parents and community members are outraged by the continued burden placed on students who are least at risk for catching or spreading the coronavirus and who suffer few adverse events from the virus.
“The new superintendent needs to listen to the voices of parents who say they’ve had enough of the draconian measures chasing a goal that is continuously moved once we approach it. Last summer at this time, we were readying children with disabilities, children without internet access to face the nightmare of virtual learning that didn’t end until March 22 and the community was looking forward to a year of normalcy. At every turn since Spring 2020, our students’ well-being has been an afterthought and their very existence treated like a disease-ridden burden. We are making sure our voices are heard in opposition to these divisive policies,” says Ali Rak, the group’s originator.
This event will be the fourth organized public demonstration for Reopen Charles County since May 2020. The group has also organized several coordinated emails and social media campaigns, resulting in the reopening of businesses in the community and the state in line with the Governor’s phased stages with no delay.
Reopen Charles County invites those who are weary of the mask and vaccine coercion to express their displeasure in a constructive way by joining the rally on Wednesday, August 4 at 6:30 pm in Waldorf. For more information, please go to reopencharlescounty.com or email reopencharlescounty@gmail.com.