COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — Things got heated Monday morning in Collierville with parents protesting students being required to wear masks.
Friday, the Shelby County Health Department issued an amended Health Order No. 24 that calls for universal masking in all K-12 schools, preschools and day care centers, for teachers, staff, students and visitors, regardless of vaccination status.
Several parents lined the street outside Collierville High School before the start of school. One parent was holding a sign saying "Let Families Decide".
Another sign said "masks should be optional".
Several parents said that they feel the mask decision should be up to the local school districts, not the Shelby County Health Department.
Parents also protested outside the Collierville School District Central Office. That's where things started getting heated, when parents were demanding to speak with the Superintendent or someone from the district.
Collierville schools said the district will not be the mask enforcers. If a child is not wearing a mask, the child's name will be reported.
But, Collierville administrators said almost all elementary and middle school students were wearing their masks. They said about one in eight high schoolers were wearing masks.
