♪ WELCOME BACK OUR GUEST THIS WEEKS THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE BOARD OF HECATION DR. A VAN DRA OUR LEAD STORY TO MASS OR NOT MA TO MASK IN THE SCAM ON THE OTR PANEL, CHAD, LAUREN, RICK SIT WITH US AS WE GET THE INSIDE OUT "OF OUR THE RECORD."

>> PRODUCTION OF "OFF THE RECORD" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE FOLLOWING.

BUSINESS LEADER FORCE MICHIGAN HAS A PLAN TO MAKE MICHIGAN A TOP TEN STATE IN THE NATION FOR JOBS PERSONAL INCOME AND HEALTHY ECONOMY.

LEARN MORE.

NOW THIS EDITION WITH TIM SKUBICK.

WELCOME BACK TO "OFF THE RECORD" A LOUSY WEEK WEATHER-WISE IN OUR STATE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS WEEKEND AS WE WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM CHAD AND LAUREN.

LAUREN, PAIR REASONLY MICHIGAN IS DIVIDED ON THE MASK ISSUE.

FAIR STATEMENT?

>> YES.

VERY MUCH SO.

ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING BACK IN PRETTY CLOSE TO SCHOOL SEASON AND A LOT OF PEOPLE REMAIN DIVIDED ON WHETHER MASKS ARE NECESSARY FOR AWHILE, THERE, AND THE TRENDS FOR COVID-19 ARE GOING TO DO WELL AND BUT NOW, THE DEAL VARAN HAS TAKEN HOLD IN MICHIGAN AND OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTRY THERE IS, THERE IS CONCERN, THAT MASKS MAY BE NEEDED AGAIN AND THERE IS, THERE IS SOME PEOPLE WHOLE THINK THAT THE RIGHT APPROACH THEN OTHERS WHO ARE REALLY REALLY NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOLCHILDREN.

>> CHAD, SOMEBODY SAID THE KIDS ARE COOL WITH MASKS, IT'S THE PARENTS WHO ARE HAVING PROBLEMS?

YEAH.

THE PAR PARENTS FROM THE START.

THEN MY SOON TO BE THIRD-GRADER SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, DAD, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS THAT MASS BEES ARE OPTIONAL BUT I THINK, I WILL WEAR MINE.

6:00 YOU KNOW, AS PARENT, I AM ENCOURAGING THAT.

BUT AND ENCOURAGING HER TO MAKE DECISION.

YEAH.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FREE-FOR-ALL HERE.

WHERE SOME SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE STRINGENT ABOUT IT.

SOME SCHOOLS WILL BE TAKE ANY STANDS WHERE HE NOT GOING TO DO IT.

IT IS DELVED INTO EVERY SCHOOL BOARD IN THE STATE AND TALKING ABOUT 500 OF THEM.

WHICH WE TALK ABOUT 500 SCHOOL BOARDS BUT ALL FIGHTING ABOUT IT.

AT THIS POINT, NOW, AND SO, IT IS JUST REIGNITING ALL OF THESE TENSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE OUR SOCIETY AND THAT HAD GN YOU A WAY.

WE BASICALLY TOOK SUMMER VACATION ON MASKING AND MASKS DEBATING MASKS AND NOW YOU IS BACK BECAUSE THE DEAL VARAN WE SHOULD NOTE, THE NUMBER OF CASES PER DAY ARE ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT THEY WERE THE BEGINNING OF LAST AUGUST TO WE'RE SEEING THE EARLY FALL SURGE, NOW, AND IT IS A SURGE OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE LARGELY.

>> RICK, IF THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD RACKS LOOING FOR GUIDE FRANCE THE STATE.

WHAT KIND OF GUIDANCE ARE THEY GETTING?

>> WELL, THEY ARE GOING TO GET GUIDANCE AT LEAST FOR NOW.

THEY WILL NOT GET MANDATES.

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THE SCHOOL BOARD PLACE LISTEN LOOKING FOR.

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HERE IN KENT COUNTY HAS SAID, THEY THINK THAT MASKS ARE GOOD IDEA BUT THERE ARE SO OPINION NY DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THIS.

ALLOT TO UNPACK SO QUICKLY.

CHAD TALKED ABOUT SUMMER VACATION AND SUMMER VACATION IF IT WAS INDEED THAT CAME BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT SAID, GET YOUR VACCINATION AND YOU CAN TAKE OFF YOUR MASK JULY 4th.

MORE OR LESS.

SO THAT IS WHAT SOME PEOPLE DID AND WE STARTED TO SEE THE EMERV GENTS OF THIS VARIANT BUT PROBLEMS WITH THAT, TOO.

THIS IS NOT NEGOTIATION ARLEY THE ONLY VARIANT.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS I WAS AT MY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ORIENTATION THIS WEEK AND IN THAT SCHOOL, YOU HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE 12 YEARS AND OLDER WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND YOU HAVE KIDS WHO ARE INNER 12 WHO CANNOT BE VAC NATE SOD THERE IS ONE PROBLEM.

LIKE MY EIGHT YEAR OLD AND THEN, THAT IS VERY CONCERNING SO AS A PAR RAP, AS CHAD TALKED ABOUT.

FOR US, IT BECOMES REALLY DIFFICULT IF YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE SENDING A CHILD TO SCHOOL AND MASKS ARE OPERATIONAL WHAT KIND OF PURE PRESSURE DOES THAT PUT ON KIDS FOR KIDS WHO COMELE FROM A STAN POINTED SAY YOU DON'T NEED A MASK OR PARENTS TELL THEM THEY DON'T NED A MASK IN YOU HAVE PARENTS WHO SAY YOU NEED A MASK AND IT FURTHER COMPLICATED WHAT IS GOING TO BE A STRESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR FOR A LOT OF KIDS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN OUT FOR OVER A YEAR DOING HOMESCHOOLING OR ON-LINE SCHOOLING AND I THINK IT IS ANOTHER HUSHEDLE FOR THOSE KIDS.

CHAD, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TRIED TO WEIGH IN AND RIGHT INTO A BUZZ SAW OF CRITICISM ON PEOPLE ON-LINE THIS WEEK.

WHAT DID THE STATE BOARD END UP FINALLY DOING?

AND THEY ARE SAYING THIS FOR MONTHS THOUGH.

WE HAVE $1.5 MILLION SCHOOLCHILDREN IN THE STATE.

1.5.

ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN HAVE AT LEAST ONE PARENT.

THOSE PARENTS ARE ADULTS ANDS ADULTS HAVE TO WORK AND THIS HAS BEEN JUST LOST IN TRANSLATION HERE IF YOU WANT THE ECONOMY AT FULL SPEED.

IF YOU WANT PEOPLE WORKING, YOU HAVE TO SOLVE THE SCHOOL'S PROBLEM.

HAVE TO SOLVE THE SPREAD.

EVERY TIME THERE IS A SHUTTLEDOWN, THERE IS A QUARANTINE CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF AN OUTBREAK, IT JUST CAUSES CHAOS, AND THE RIPPLE EFFECTS GO STRAIGHT INTO THE ECONOMY.

WE HAVE UNTOLD RECORD NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO LOTT OF LEFT THE WORK FORCE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND THE SETBACKS AND THAT HAS DONE TO THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR WAGE EARNINGS, KNOW, IT IS REALLY UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT, SO THIS, THIS KEY TO VACCINATION OR TO CONTAIN THE VIRUS RUNS FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EVERY SINGLE DAY AND 1:00 THAT IS WHY YOU KNOW, THE UNIFORMED APPROACH TO THIS SEEMED LIKE IT MADE A LOT OF MORE SENSE THAT THIS SORT OF 535 MAKE UP THEIR OWN RULES.

WELL WELL, LAUREN, THE STATE BOARD STATED TO THE SCHOOLS WHATEVER YOU WILL DO WILL ENDORSE SOME CRITICS NOT PROFILES OF COURAGE.

I MA MEAN ASH'S ONE CAN SAY WHATEVER DO YOU WE ENDORSE.

WE TAKE ON THAT STORY.

WELL IT CAME TO A POINT WHERE BOARD OF EDUCATION UM NUMBERS ARE AS DESCRIED AS SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

YOU SAW HOUR AND HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON THIS AROUND THE STATE AND SO FAR, THE BOARD ED "'S MOMENT HAS BEEN A LOCAL DECISION AND NOW, THE ISSUE WITH THAT AND SOMECATIONS IS THAT IT IS GOING BE A HUGE PATCH WORK OF WHAT SCHOOLS ARE SUPPOSED TO DAVENED A LOT OF CASES SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NOT NEGOTIATION ARLEY NECESSARILY DICTATE BY THE SAME BOUNDARIES AS CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE SO YOU COULD BE IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT REQUIRES MASKS OR DOESN'T.

AND THEN YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HER TO CITY COULD BE SAYING SOMETHING COME PLATLY DIFFERENT, SO I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE IF THIS POLICY CONTINUES, A LOT OF CONFUSION FOR PARENTS ON WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DID DOING.

THERE IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE A LOT OF PARENTS AROUND THE STATE IF SCHOOLS DO PLANDATE MASKS IN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS THERE IS A LOT OF PARENTS WHO ARE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, YOU OH, WE MAY SEE A LOT OF PROTESTS AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, PUMPING THIS TO THE LOCALS THAT COULD POSE LAKE A PRETTY BIG PROBLEM IN TERMS OF HOW MASKS ARE REGULATED AROUND THE.

I AM IF YOU A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DEFENDING WHERE ON YOU ARE.

YOU HAVE TWO MEATS TO SERVE.

ONE YOU WAN THE SAFETIED OF THE KIDS WHICH IS PARAMOUNT FOR THOSE PARENT THAT SAY IF YOU PUT A MASK POLICY.

I AM!

YAING MY KID OUT.

NOW THERE IS A FINANCIAL PROBLEM.

BECAUSE WITH THAT CHILD GOES 8700 BUCKS UNDER THE NEW SCHOOL AID FORMULA.

WHAT ARE POOR SUPERINTENDENTS SUPPOSED TO DO BESIDES GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS?

>> WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

RUN WITH, IS, YOU HAVE THOSE SCHOOL BOARDS BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT LOCAL HE'LL CONTROL SO YOU WANT LOCAL CONTROL AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THAT CONTROL, RIGHT?

WHAT LAUREN IS TALKING ABOUT IN NOT HAVING SOME TYPE OF A MANDATE LOOK FROM MARCH OF 2020 THROUGH A FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAD ALL OF THESE SEPARATE HANDATES THAT SAID IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE YOU DO THIS, YOU DO THIS.

YOU DO THESE THINGS THEN WE GOT TO THIS POINT WHERE YOU SAID, OK, WE ARE GOING TO RELAX SOME OF THIS AND THAT WAS MANDATED BY COURT AND A VACCINATION RATE NEARING WHERE THEY WANTED IT TO BE.

IF YOU WANT UNIFORMITY IN A SCHOOL FOIL, IT IS MOLT GOING TO HAPPEN BY HAVING ALL OF THOSE SCHOOL BOARDS MAKE THOSE DECISION AND TO YOUR QUESTION, TIM, IF I AM A SUPERINTENDENT, THEN I HAVE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE STUDENT NOT WHETHER OR NOT SOME DISGRUNTLED PARENT GOING TO MOVE THAT STUDENT TO ANOTHER DISTRICT I CANNOT BE DERN ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A PROFIT CENTER BUT A PLACE OF EDUCATION AND SAFETY FOR KIDS.

WOE SHOULD NOTE.

THOSE TWO PEOPLE ARE ELIZABETH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT AND HUMAN SERVICES WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TOSH SHOE THE BOARD ORDER AND HER BOSS GOVERNOR GET CHEN WILT HER WITH TO ISSUE THE ORDER AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THIS BUT YOU CLEARLY SEE A VERY HANDS ON APPROACH BY THE WHITMER ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW AND WE CAN ONLY SPECULATE THAT THERE IS AN ELECTION 14 MONTHS FROM NOW AND AT THIS OPT PO THE GOVERNOR'S ADMINISTRATION DECIDES TO PIVOT FROM THIS AND SENT IT BACK TO THE LOCALS AND LET THEM DECIDE AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE ENSUING CHAOS IN ALL OF THE DISTRICTS.

THE GOVERNOR WAS ASKED THIS WEEK WHY NOT A MANDATE AND BASICALLY, WHAT SHE SAID, WELL, I, I TOGETHER WITH THE LEGISLATURE OF REPUBLICANS WHO ARE AGAINST ANYTHING THAT LOOK LAKES MAN DITH AND WE ARE ALL AGRID THIS IS BOATER LEFT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

AND THAT IS EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEY ARE NOT DOING THE MANDATE BUT THE QUESTION IS GOING TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT IF YOU ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE KIDS ARE SAFE, CAN YOU TAKE A RISK OF THIS HODGEPODGE YOU KNOW POLICY ACROSS THE STATE?

SOME OF THE KRILICS ARE GOING TO SAY.

THIS THAT MAY BE A LOSING STRATEGY AAM NOT SURE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, LAUREN?

WELL, I THINK AT THIS POINT.

THIS IS A VERY POLITICALLY FRAUGHT DEBATE TO GET NA IT HAS BEEN THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN AND YOU KNOW, OUTRIGHT PROTESTS AND JUST, SO MUCH ANIMOSITY FROM A SUBSET OF THE POPULATION TOWARD MANDATES AND TOWARD REQUIRING MASKING AND TOWARD YOU KNOW, RESTRICTIONS OF ANY KIND AND SO, I THINK, THAT THED A HUN STRATION ENJOYED THIS GRIS PERIOD IF YOU WILL YOU KNOW, OF NOT GETTING BEATERRED BY THIS SHALL THIS OPPOSITION TO WHAT HER ADMINISTRATION WAS DOING THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC IN TERMS OF IN TELLERS OF REQUIRING MASKS INDOORORS RESTRICTING RESTRICTING GATHERINGS TO A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW, SO FAR, WE HAVE SEEN THE CASES BEGIN RISING, THE DELTA VARIANT IS CONCERNING, THE POSSIBILITY OF OTHER VARIANTS AND THE SLOWDOWN OF VACCINATION RATES IS CONCERNING, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY MOVEMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION UP TO THIS POINT SAY, OK, WELL, WE SHOULD START GETTING BACK INTO LOOKING ADDITIONALLAL RESTRICTION OR ADDITIONAL MANDATES BECAUSE IT IS POLITICALLY UNPOPULAR.

>> YEAH.

GO AHEAD.

>> YEAH.

AGAIN, THERE IS STILL SIX OR SOF VEIN BILLION REASONS WHY THEY ARE GETTING ALONG RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND AND THEY GOT THEY NEED TO SPEND IT OR WANT TO SPEND IT BY SEPTEMBER 30 SOTH THINGS ARAL FROM FRAGILE.

GOVERNOR WHITMER DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO UPSET THE APPLE KURT ACROSS THE STREET AND WE SHOULD NOT THAT ONE OF THE CHIEF CRITICS OF ALL THINGS MASKING AND AND COVID PRECAUTIONS IS A MAJOR TY LEADER WHO THIS WEEK WROTE A FAIRLY EXTRA FORD NARY COLUMN IN BRIDGE MAGAZINE FOR A WHOLE LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND MAY CALL IT ALL OF THE HILLS THAT MIKE IS GOING TO DIE ON.

AND, AND, BASICALLY, JUST KIND OF, JUST LAID OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF THISRIES OF WHY, TRYING TO WAY WASTE TO MASKING AND VACCINATIONS AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MADE A SPECK KEM OF CALLING OFF HIS DAY INS TO THE MACKINAC POLICY CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER OVER THE VACCINATION MANDATES AND SO, ABOVE NOR WHIT NER IS TRYING TO NAVIGATE MIKE STIR HERE THAT HOUR AND IN ORDER TO GET SOME, SOME MAJOR SPENDING DEACISIONS MADE BOTH FOR THE STATE BUDGET AND ALSO FOR ALL OF THIS FEDERAL FUNDING.

WELL, AS FAR AS THE GOVERNOR IS DERN ARE CONCERNED ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS IF YOU CAN CALL THIS GOOD.

MICHIGAN ONLY HAS 365 CASES SO FAR AND NOW OF THE DELL TALL VARAN BUT MOST OF THE POSITIVE TEST SKERS THAT ARE COMING BACK INVOLVE THAT SO THAT IS A TICKING TIME BOMB BUT COMPARE MICHIGAN THE REST OF THE NATION WE ARE CLEARLY NOT FLORIDA.

WE ARE NOT LOUISIANA.

BUT AGAIN, IT IS A A NUN BRUM ARE DRUM FOR HER.

YOU ROAR IT.

CONUNDRUM FOR HER AND NOT BUMMINGON ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A MANDATE AND WHERE SNEEDS TO BE.

AND SOS THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE BARD OF HEEDCATION WHO IS NOW JOINING US AND HADDAM PRESIDENT, WELCOME TO OFF THE RECORD.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> MADAM PRESIDENT IF THE BOARD HAD A RESOLUTION BEFORE IT THAT SAID WE ARE MANDATING OR ORDERERRING PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS TO WEAR MASK HOUSE WOULD YOU VOTE?

>> WELL, WELL, LET ME EXPLAIB WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK AT THE STATE BOARD OF HEEDCATION.

NO, NO.

BEFORE YOU EXPLAIN IT.

HOW WOULD YOU VOTE?

>> WELL, WE DID HAVE RESOLUTION BEFORE US THIS WEEK AND I VOTED TO ALLOW LOCAL DISTRICTS TO HAVE SCIENTIFICALLILY INFORMED DESUGGESTIONS THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT.

THE TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOESN'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO MANDATE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

WE CANNOT MANDATE SCHOOLS HAVE MASKS REQUIREMENT AND WE CAN NOT TELL THEM THEY CANNOT HAVE MASK REQUIREMENTS?

LET ME REVISE THE QUESTION.

IF THE RESOLUTION HAD SAID WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE MASKS HOW WOULD YOU VOTE?

>> I WOULD VOTE YES.

>> WOULD YOU HOLD YOUR NOSE DOING IT?

>> NO.

I WOULD NOT HOLD MY NOSE DOING.

I THINK THAT LOCAL DISTRICTS NEED LOOK AT THE SCIENCE BUT THEY ALSO NEED LOOK AT WHAT HAYSPING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WAY TO COOP THE COME MACHINES SAFE IS TO HAVE MASK REQUIREMENTS IN SCHOOLS AND THAT IS WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

>> CHAD,.

>> I MEAN IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE STATE BOARD DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO ENFORCE THIS AND HAVE A MANDATE WHY DID THIS STATE BOARD GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS DEBAILT THIS WEEK AND SORT OF TAKE ALL OF THESE ARROWS OVER THIS ISSUE?

>> SO, THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO EXPLAIN TO BEGIN WITH.

THIS WAS NOT ON OUR AGAIN.

TWO REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STENT THE REST OF THE BOARD EIGHT MINUTE BEFORE THE MEETING WAS TO START THREE RES LOOSINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO A AD THOUGH AGAIN.

ONE WAS ANTIMASK MANDATE.

ONE WAS ANTI-VACCINE MANDATE.

THE OTHER WAS ANTI-TESTING AND SCHOOLS.

THIS WAS, THIS WAS NOT ON THE AGAIN BUT SIX MEMBERS VOTED TO ALLOW THEM TO AD TO IT THE AGAIN WHAT HAPPENED UP HAPPENINGS THE MAJORITY STRIPPED THE LANGUAGE FROM THE ANTIMASK RESOLUTION AND REPLACED IT WITH LANGUAGE THAT WAS MUCH MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE FACT THAT DISTRICTS MIGHT NEED TO MAKE DECISION BASED ON SCIENCE AND THOSE DECISION COULD IN FACT MEAN MASK MANDATES IN SCHOOLS.

>> RICK?

>> WHAT IS THE OVERALL, I MEAN, I GET IT, THIS CAME UP LATE IN THE AGENDA, AND SOME PEOPLE FEEL FELT LAKE THEY NEEDED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS BUT GOING BACK TO SOMETHING CHAD MENTIONED EARLIER.

I MEAN, THE ABILITY TO HAVE INFLUENCE ON THIS REST WITH A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.

AND IN THE STATE IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK THE BOARD IS GOING TO DEAL WITH AGAIN.

A V YOU PUT THIS ASIDE GIVEN THE THE FACT THE BEST YOU COULD DO IS A RECOMMENDATION.

WELL, I THINK, THERE WAS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY I THINK PEOPLE ARE SEEING STORIES ABOUT STATE BOARDS OF EDUCATION WEIGH IN LIVE HAVING FLOOR DID AND GIVING YOU A NO AUTHORITY TO WITHHOLD FUNDING FROM OUR SCHOOLS.

OUR STATE DOESN'T OPERATE THAT WAY.

A LOT PEOPLE ASSUMED THE STATE BOARD HAD THE YOU A HR TOY DO THIS AND THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS THAT CALLED IN THOUGHT THAT THE WERE ACTUALLY HEADING INTO SA DIRECTION OF ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

AND SO, IN MY I YOU ARE RIGHT.

THERE ARE REALLY ONLY TWO PEOPLE WHO CAN AT A STATEWIDE LEVEL MAKE THIS DECISION AT A LOCAL LEVEL THERES A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN MAKE DECISIONS.

BUT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

>> LAUREN?

>> SO AS YOU SAW, ACTUALLY, THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE COUNTRY AROUND THE COUNTRY THEY ARE K MAG DECISION REGAULTS OF THE WAY THEY GO THERE IS A LOT OF ANIMOSITY A LOT OF FIGHTING AND EVEN PROTESTS IN SOME CASE.

WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS AND IN TELLERS OF HANDLING THE POLITICS OF THIS AND GETTING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL SAFELY.

SO FIRST OF AL I WOULD LIKE AT WHAT THINGS GOAL WE WANT HEAR.

THEN GOAL IS WE WANT KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WANT THEM TO BE SAFE.

SO THEY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT NOT ONLY WHAT THE PARENTS WANT IN THE DISTRICT BUT ALSO WHAT DOES THE DATA SAY.

WHAMS DO THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS SAY WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ACTUAL EXPERTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND IF I PRI IN LOCAL BOARD MEMBER I WOULD BE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW WHAT IS HAPPENING THE SOUTH.

BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING STUDENT STU IN THE SOUTH GO BACK TO SCHOOL RIGHT NOW AND THEY ARE DOING IT IN TIME WHEN THE DEAL VARAN IS EXPLODING AND THEIR HOSPITALS ARE AT KAMAS TY AND THE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING SICK BE A SOME OF THIS REM RENDING UP IN THE.

AND EVEN ON END VENT RATERS AND IF I WOULD SAY TO MYSELF IF I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN MY COME IN THE, THEN, I AM GOING TO DO WHAT I HEAD TO DO TO MAKE HAPPEN AND WHILE ALSO KEEPING KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE NONE OF US WANT TO GO.

LIKE CHAD MENTIONED THERE IS A LOT OF PACTS THAT GO WITH HAVING TO SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN AND FOR IN PERSON LEARNING AND FOR TWO WEEKS OR THREE WEEKS AT TIME, THIS IS TREMENDOUS CHAOS ON FAMILIES.

IS THE LAST THING WE WANT.

DID YOU BUT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE KIDS GET SICK.

THEN, THEN, THEY NEED TO BE LEADER STEP UP TO MAKE THOSE DECISION.

>> MADAM PRESIDENT, SHOULD THE GOVERNORRISH SH AYMANDATE FOR MASKS IN SCHOOLS?

>> I AM NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT SO I CANNOT ANSWER THAT BASED ON WHAT THEY ARE HE SWAG THE SCIENCE AND DATA BUT I DO THINK TO THE POINT THAT YOU MADE EARLIER, THAT IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE HELPFUL FOR SCHOOLS TO HAVE GUIDE ANESS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND IF WE GET TO THE PONT WHERE WE ARE SEEING ELSE PLOSION IN CASE THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

THEN DERNED ABOUT THE HODGEPODGE AND THAT THE CAUSE OF CONFUSION.

OH I THINK IT WILL CAUSE CONFUSION.

I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, WE ARE HUGE STATE.

SOMETHING HAPPEN IS HE HE IS A NAB BASE NOT THE SAME AS SOMETHING IN DETROIT.

SO THEY THERE DOES NEED TO BE A LOCAL REFLECTION OF YOU OH, WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY AND THEN IT IS NOT GOING TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD AND NOT THE SAME EVERYWHERE.

BUT I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE TWO COME-S THAT ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

THEY HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GIANTS THEN YES THAT IS GOING TO CAUTION A LOT OF CONFUSION.

>> HAD?

>> I WOULD SAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF CITIES IN MOTE TRO DETROIT, ST. CLAIR SHORE, MADISON HEIGHTS AND MULTIPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN ONE CITY AND YOU THINK.

AND ALREADY ON COUNTYWIDE BASIS AND SO THAT THERE IS NOTERN CORING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO MAYBE ISSUE MASK MAN DAYS IN THESE HOT SPOT COUNTIES.

I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE AND I BELIEVE WE JUST SAW IF I AM NOT MISTAKE AND I THINK DID THAT AND I WON A BE SURPRISED IF OTHER COUNTIES DO THAT AS WELL.

RICK.

WELL LOOK IF YOU HAVE THESE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAKING INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COUNTY MAN DITH AND MANDATE COMING FROM THE STATE AND WHILE MR. MAY BE CONFUSION, IF THERE IS NO CONTROLLING LEGAL AUTHORITY TOQUET A FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AND THEN, THEN THERE IS NOTHING THAT COULD COMPEL THESE SCHOOLS TO DO THAT PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE GETTING A LOT OF PUSHBACK, RIGHT.

WELL, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO NEGOTIATION ARLEY COMPEL I THINK THE SCAM BOARS NEED TO PROTECT KIDS EVEN IF IT MEANS THERE IS SOME PUSHBACK FROM PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER THEY NEED TO MAKE THOUGH DECISION THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY THE WAY TO KEEP KIDS SAFE AND TO PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY AND IS TO HAVE A MASK REQUIREMENT THEN I HOPE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THEY GO.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MACHINE THINK THE LEGISLATURE STIM SITTING ON AND YOU MUST BE DISCOURAGE THEY HAVE NOT THROWN THAT OUT THERE AND THE SCHOOLS NEED THESE DONE THEY?

THEY NEED THIS MONEY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT TOTAL OF ROUGHLY 5.6 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS THAT COULD BE USED FOR NAUM BEFORE HE PURPOSES INCLUDING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

BEEFING UP THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS SO YOU HAVE LOWER CLASSROOMANCE LOWER CLASSROOMS SPACES AND LESS STUDENTS OCCUPYING FULL CLASSROOMANCE YOU CAN USE THEM TO UPDATE STRUCTURE AND A LOT OF SCHOOLS IN FACT AT THE STATE BOARD MEETING THIS WEEK AND WE HAD A RES PETS SEN TATION ON THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT HVAC SYSTEMS THAT ARE OVER $25 YEARS OLD IN THE BEST OF SITUATIONS THAT IS A BAD SITUATION.

BUT WHEN THERE IS A PANDEMIC OF THE NATION MATIER WE ARE SEEING THAT IS, THAT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC SO MANY, THIS MONEY COULD BE USINGED TO UPDATE ALL OF THAT STRUCTURE AND SO IT NEEDS TO BE LEASED TO SCHOOL THOSE CAN ACTUALLY START PLANNING AND USING THIS BECAUSE THERE IS, THERE IS A TICKING CLOCK ON THIS.

YOU DON'T HAVE SO LONG SO MANY YEARS TO AUTOS THE FUNDS?

YOU GOT ONE?

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

YOU ALLUDED TO SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT OTHERS STATES ARE TAKING AND IN TERMS OF WITHHOLDING FUNDING FOR ARE CERTAIN DISTRICTS THAT MADE CERTAIN LOCAL DECISION THEN CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY I THINK YOU SAID THAT WOULD BE UNLIKE HERE TO HAPPEN AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY THAT IS WHY YOU MAY NOT SEE THE HAPPENING UNOTHER STATES IN TERMS OF CONSEQUENCES FOR SCHOOLS WHO CHOOSE TO IMPLEMENT MASKS?

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

SO WE ARE TRULY A LOCAL CONTROL STATE AND SO THERE IS, THERE IS HIM LITS ON WHAT THE STATE CAN SAHMLY REQUIRE OF LOCAL SCHOOLS IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FUND IT.

6:00 AND SO, YOU ARE VERY UNLOOK TO SEE THIS LOCAL SCHOOLINGS GET TO MAKE MOST OF THE DISDEESES ON THEIR OWN AND THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY CAN BE GID FRANCE THE STATE AND THERE ARE LAWS THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE LOCAL CONTROLLED STATE.

RICK.

AND ARE YOU IN A NEGOTIATION YOU WOULD ASK THE GOVERNOR AS THE HEAD OF THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD YOU GO TO THE GOVERNOR TO SAY, LOOK.

THIS IS TOO CONFUSING THOSE ARE YOUR WORDS EARLY.

I THINK IT WOULD CAUTION CONFUSION HPTHON WE NEED SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN JUST GITTANCE.

>> SO, LOOK I SAID.

I AM OUT OF PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT BY ANY MEANS AND SO I RELY ON THOSE THAT ARE TO MAKE THOSE DECISION AND BUT, IF THOUGH PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS CAME US TO AND SAID, THIS, WE HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE SHEER.

THEN, THEN WE THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE OR MANDATE INTERESTS THE STATE AND I WOULD CERTAINLY BE WILLING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THE GOVERNOR BUT I AM NOT GOING TO, I DON'T HAVE BEEN THE ACCESS TO THE SAME DATA AND INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE.

SO I CANNOT MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR ANYONE ELSE.

>> MADAM PRESIDENT THANK TO JOINING ON THE PROGRAM.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SUE.

GOOD LUCK IN THE NEW ASSIGNMENT WHICH IS TWO YEARS OLD NOW.

RIGHT?

YES THANK YOU.

>> THANKS TO CHAD AND LAWYER AND RICK.

NEXT WEEK, MORE OFF THE RECORD.

PLEASE COME IN AND JOIN US.

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