Heather Reed shared her concerns with the Urbandale School Board on Wednesday night. The board meet to implement a mask mandate for the district.
Reed told the district she represents four children in the district and she and her husband aim to raise them as “competent, effective adults” in the community.
“Believe it or not, I know what’s best for my children — especially when it comes to their health,” she said. “I do not consent for you to decide what’s best for their health. Your track record doesn’t sit well with me.”
Reed said the district’s school lunches are loaded with sugar and processed foods.
“Sugar suppresses our immune system,” she said. “If the goal is to not be sick, but to promote health, then shouldn’t we remove the sugar that so easily suppresses our body’s ability to be healthy?”
Reed said her family would spend the day peacefully protesting outside school if the mask mandate is put into place. The family will fill out its exemption forms and show up the next day without masks.
“You will not deny my child’s right to an education nor force them to wear masks,” she said.
Reed also said she is a youth coach and leads a youth group.
“In fact, right now my youth group is meeting right down the street without me, but I am here for them,” she said. “You see, God has called me to teach them the truth of the Bible. He has called me to teach them to love Him and to love others. I expect my students to honor one another. Honor is doing more than expected. It’s having a good attitude and it’s considering others better than yourself.
“I expect this in hopes that one day when they become leaders such as yourself, they will be the best they can be, because God loves them. The behavior observed by certain board members who ultimately reflect and represent this group as a whole is embarrassing and wrong. My children and youth aren’t allowed to behave the way that some of you have. And, if they did, there would be consequences.
“You have not built a culture of learning where students and families feel welcome. You have failed.”
Reed called for the removal of Stacy Andersen from the board.
“Parents who believe in Jesus, we need to pray,” she said. “We need to pray for (the board). We need to command evil to leave. And we need to claim the blood of Jesus over this school for our children’s sake.”
