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Abbotsford parents gathering to protest mandatory masks in schools

Local parents holding rally outside of Abbotsford School Board office today (March 31)
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Masks are now mandatory for students in Grades 4 to 12 and a group of Abbotsford parents are unhappy with the new rule. (Lauren Collins photo)

A rally of parents upset by the recently announced mask mandates for elementary school students is scheduled for today (March 31) at 1 p.m. outside the Abbotsford School Board office.

According to the Facebook event page, a total of 22 people will be attending and another 47 are intetested.

The event description reads:

“We, the parents, say no. No to masking our children. We are demanding the freedom to choose what we put on our child, when we send them to school. Join us tomorrow at the Abbotsford School Board office, and give your child a voice. A voice that needs to be heard - loud and clear and unmasked.”

The event host is Abbotsford mother Lisa Engh, who spoke to The News about her frustrations with the inconsistencies about COVID-19 policies back in December. One of her close friends was nearly fined after a neighbour called the police after they observed her children playing with people outside their household.

RELATED: Abbotsford mother unhappy with COVID-19 ‘inconsistencies’

The B.C. Teachers Federation had been calling for mask mandates for many months, and the B.C. Ministry of Education made it mandatory for all B.C. students in Grades 4 to 12 to wear them on Tuesday (March 30). Masks have also been strongly encouraged but not required for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3.

RELATED: Masks now required ‘at all times’ in this B.C. school district for grades 4-12



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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