Parents' Multiperspective Views and Misinformation About COVID-19 Mitigation Measures During Tennessee School Board...

In fall 2021, Tennessee school districts faced heightened debates over COVID-19 mitigation amid rising cases, limited vaccination availability, and widespread misinformation. School board meetings (SBMs) served as pivotal decision-making forums influencing district policies. This study investigated perceptions and misinformation regarding the COVID-19 mask mandate at SBMs held within 6 of Tennessee's largest school districts. With widespread debate over pandemic measures, including mask use in schools, understanding community sentiments is crucial for guiding public health policies.

This study aimed to investigate the viewpoints of parents or caregivers and teachers regarding COVID-19 safety protocols, particularly the mask mandate, and to identify the misinformation circulating within SBMs.

Participants' commentaries were extracted from 6 SBM recordings that were publicly uploaded to YouTube from August through September 2021. The data were examined qualitatively to capture themes related to concerns, support, and misinformation. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted using transcripts generated via Microsoft Azure speech-to-text and manually verified.

Many parents or caregivers gave personal accounts of how the pandemic had impacted them, their children, and their communities, describing significant comorbidities, adverse psychosocial impacts, mental health disorders, learning difficulties, and worsening socioeconomic and educational disparities. Six thematic domains emerged: (1) perceived effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, teachers, and parents or caregivers, including psychosocial distress, learning disruptions, and burnout; (2) perceived effects of mask mandates on children, particularly concerns regarding physical health and psychosocial well-being; (3) perceived government overreach and legal objections to COVID-19 mitigation mandates; (4) tensions between personal liberty, religious beliefs, and collective responsibility in masking decisions; (5) circulation of misinformation and conflicting guidance regarding mask safety and effectiveness; and (6) institutional strain, social tensions, and hostility directed toward school officials alongside educator burnout.

Perspectives on COVID-19 mitigation varied widely across meeting participants, highlighting the need for health officials and policymakers to engage in proactive health promotion strategies. Strengthening public health communication, misinformation mitigation, and institutional support for teachers will be essential to ensuring safe and effective learning environments during future public health crises.