Teen arrested for not wearing mask at EPISD board meeting won’t face charges
UPDATE, Oct. 5: EPISD has now decided not to press charges against 17-year-old student Skyler Brown.
He was arrested at Monday night’s school board meeting for disrupting it by refusing to comply with officers and put on a face mask.
In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, an EPISD spokesman said: "The case is now closed and the District has opted not to file charges against the individual who was taken into custody and removed from the meeting for not following mask rules at the time."
ORIGINAL REPORT, Oct. 4: EL PASO, Texas -- One person was arrested and another removed by police for refusing to wear face masks at an El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting late Monday afternoon.
The topic of discussion at that meeting, ironically, was whether to continue with a district-wide mask mandate.
Back in August, the board had voted to follow the indoor mask directive issued by the City/County Health Authority, but a court last week suspended that order.
EPISD trustees, following a lengthy executive session, voted 5-2 to eliminate the mask requirement in schools - although voluntary mask use was still being strongly encouraged by school officials.
District 1 Rep. Leah Hanany and District 3 Rep. Josh Acevedo were the two who voted against repealing the mask mandate, believing it could set up the school district for a Covid-19 outbreak.
"These next two to three months are going to be crucial and I did not support that in that sense," Acevado said, "and I worry right now we are in intersession - a lot of people are going to be travelling and there is not going to be something that is mandatory to control the spread."
At the start of the meeting, a teenager who repeatedly refused to put on a mask was taken into custody by officers; 17-year-old Skyler Brown was facing a misdemeanor charge.
A short time later, a woman who declined to wear a mask was escorted out of the meeting by police. The woman was overhead telling officers: "I will not wear a mask. I will not comply and follow like a sheep like these students and these teachers that will not stand up for their right to choose."
