I do think we do need a data-based protocol of some sort to move us forward.”

Superintendent Dr. Laurie Dias-Mitchell

This is like dangling the carrot. When do we recognize personal responsibility here? When do we give parents credit? This is enough; we need to move on with this.”

School committee member Mike Rocha

I don't want to wait for the city of Providence or Cranston or Johnston to get a lower number. We're tired of our kids wearing masks like this.”

Little Compton resident Scott Aubuchon

The Little Compton School Committee will consider a masks optional policy, as well as a plan that would tie the wearing of masks to state or county data, at its next meeting this coming Wednesday.

The move comes after a two-hour meeting Friday afternoon at which more than a dozen parents, and several members of the school committee, expressed frustration over the district's masking stance.

Prior to the 4:30 p.m. meeting, members of the policy subcommittee forwarded a draft policy that unlike most districts in the state, would allow masks as an option only when the state positivity rate drops below 50 per 100,000 residents. That number currently stands at 128.3, though Superintendent Dr. Laurie Dias-Mitchell and school committee chairwoman Polly Allen said they are optimistic that it will continue to drop, and Little Compton could go mask-free as early as mid-March.

"I do think we do need a data-based protocol of some sort to move us forward," the superintendent said. "I do think this is absolutely manageable."

But several school committee members and many parents said the district's reliance on state or county data is problematic, as it doesn't reflect the COVID-19 numbers in Little Compton itself. A better solution, many said, would be to adopt a masks optional policy that takes effect Friday, March 4, when districts are allowed to choose their own way forward.

"This penalizes us for cities and towns that don't do as well as us," said committee member Mike Rocha, who added that Little Compton has had 508 total cases, and no deaths, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

"This is like dangling the carrot. When do we recognize personal responsibility here? When do we give parents credit? This is enough; we need to move on with this."

"I have the same concerns as Mike," added committee member Travis Auty. "If we're going to be using this 100,000 metric, we're never going to get our masks off our children."

"It's a bit much. I really thought we would be meeting today (and) that we would be going with a mask optional policy. This is not that. I gotta tell you, I'm a little disheartened by it."

Throughout the meeting, Dias-Mitchell spoke of her preference to use quantifiable data to determine the district's mask policy. Though it is not perfect, she said, relying on Rhode Island Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control recommendations  and COVID figures will put the district on solid and safe ground. But parents said the district was being overly cautious.

"I don't want to wait for the city of Providence or Cranston or Johnston to get a lower number," said parent Scott Aubuchon. "We're tired of our kids wearing masks like this. It's not good for them, emotionally (or) physically."

"It's going to cause more issues for the kids" if they're required to wear masks for much longer," said resident Amanda Morton. "I'm very disappointed. The parents should have a choice."

"I want to see my granddaughter enjoy her life," added resident Joyce Stevens. "Right now they are stifled. You can't compare Little Compton to those larger numbers that RIDOH is giving us. I think it's time that we move on."

About two hours into the meeting, Rocha motioned, and Auty seconded, to amend the data-driven plan to reflect that masks would not be required after March 4. But Allen said amending would be problematic, and instead agreed to work with the district attorney to draft a masks optional policy based loosely on Portsmouth's already approved policy. Both it and the original data-driven policy will be back before the school committee next week.

Rocha said it is the right thing to do.

"The five of us were elected to represent the people of this town," he said. "I have seen such a divide in this town. It needs to stop. We are such a small community and for us to be at each other and not agree is not good for us as a community. I think the people have spoken tonight. We have to trust our parents."

"I've had significantly more parents tell me they'd rather see mask optional," Auty added. "I've had educators tell me they'll be happy to see them go. I've had children, including my own, tell me they can't wait to see their friends' smile."

"Those who feel unsafe have multiple levels of protection in place," he added. "I am in support of unmasking the children when the governor's emergency powers expire."

The committee will discuss the two plans at its next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, March 2.