What happened at the Franklin, Tennessee school board meeting?

A PROTEST ensued outside a Franklin, Tennessee school board meeting regarding face masks to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Video footage of the protest has since gone viral on social media, leaving many enraged at the situation.

What happened at the Franklin, Tennessee school board meeting?

Parents of Williamson County attended a school board meeting on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, and were met with an anti-mask protest as they exited the building.

The protesters were shouting outside the premises after the school board was debating whether or not to enforce masks in elementary schools.

According to a video captured by Matt Masters, several protesters were seen following a man to his car, shouting “we will find you” and “we know who you are” at him. 

The man in question was Michael Miller, a data analyst in the healthcare industry, who asked the board to reinstate a mask mandate during a public portion of the meeting.

Ultimately, the board voted 7-3 to require masks in elementary schools for all students, staff, and visitors. 

The policy goes into effect on August 12 and will last until at least September 21. 

Following that date, board members will reassess the coronavirus case count in Williamson County and decide whether to extend the mandate or not.

What did protesters say at the Franklin school board meeting?

Various protesters continued yelling at Miller, according to the video shared on social media.

One man said: “There is a place in hell for you guys. There is a bad place in hell and everybody’s taking notes, buddy.”

Another person is seen trying to calm the group, while also shouting “you can leave in peace, but we know who you are.”

A Williamson County Sheriff’s Office sergeant got involved and reportedly asked the protesters to remain peaceful, saying: “We are here for everybody’s safety, we are here for y’all just as much as we are here for everybody else. OK? 

“We are here, we are away from our families, some of us are on a 17, almost an 18-hour day, and that’s me. 

“So I’m here for y’all. I’m here for y’all. We want everything to be peaceful. I am begging y’all to be peaceful.”

What did the Franklin school board say about the meeting?

In light of the protest, Carol Birdsong with Williamson County Schools released a statement in response to the meeting.

The statement read: “Our parents are passionate about their children’s education, and that’s one of the reasons for our district’s success over the years. 

“With that said, there’s no excuse for incivility. 

“We serve more than 40,000 students and employ more than 5,000 staff members. 

“Our families and staff represent a wide variety of thoughts and beliefs, and it is important in our district that all families and staff have the opportunity to be represented and respected. 

Adding: “We will continue to work toward making sure all voices are heard and that all families, staff and community members feel safe sharing their opinions.”

According to Superintendent Jason Golden, 25 Williamson County elementary students have contracted coronavirus on the first three days of school.

In Tennessee, children under the age of 12 are not yet allowed to receive a coronavirus vaccine, which can increase the risk of contracting the virus.