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Tale of 2 Meetings at Taylorville School Board Monday Night

It was a tale of 2 meetings at the Taylorville School Board proceedings Monday night at the Junior High Library.

 

While the last half of the meeting included reports from Superintendent Doctor Chris Dougherty, building principals and other department heads on preparing for the first day of school August 18th, the first 40 minutes was used by many of the 35 or so residents who attended to voice their displeasure with the Governor’s decision mandating children wear masks in school this year.

 

 

 

Many parents addressed the board during the public comment period, including Darrell Devore, a 2001 Taylorville High School grad, who told school board members it should be up to parents to decide whether a child should wear a mask to school.

 

 

Board president David Driskell numerous times emphasized to the gathering, that the state has made it clear school districts could lose funding and certification if the mask mandate was not enforced.  Taylorville will require masks to be worn by children per the state mandate.

 

Taylorville resident Frank DeAtley addressed the school board on a different topic, asking them not to buy the mental health building that’s for sale across from the Junior High and North Elementary Schools, saying it was not needed by the school district.

Later in the meeting, the board voted 6 to nothing, with one abstention, to table pursuing purchase after lengthy discussion.

 

The Taylorville School Board Monday night passed, with a slight revision, the latest version of the district’s COVID-19 Learning Plan.  They also renewed the district’s health insurance plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield with a 2-percent decrease, but have Health Alliance as a Plan B if Blue Cross Blue Shield and Springfield Clinic don’t come to an agreement by a November 17th deadline.   

 

The board learned that its Building Committee continues to study the possibility of building a new 536-seat Performing Arts Center in the circle drive adjacent to the Band Room at Taylorville High School, with more information being gathered.

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