Inaction by the Orange County Board of Supervisors will result in infection, sickness and death from COVID-19 for many county residents including innocent children. The lack of action by the OC Supervisors is so serious that cities like Laguna Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Seal Beach, and Buena Park have had to take matters into their own hands, passing ordinances to mandate face coverings like masks for essential workers. While we wait like cattle for herd immunity to develop, we must have a strategy to re-emerge. Part of a safety plan would be a requirement for face coverings.
Common sense would dictate that young workers be protected from exposure to COVID19 from direct interaction with the public. Common sense would suggest customers being served by frontline food workers be protected. Common sense would direct retail food management to reduce their risk of sick and dying workers by using such minimal measures like face coverings. Common courtesy was MIA at the April 7 Board of Supervisors meeting when Supervisor Andrew Do attempted to present a motion to require frontline food service workers be required to wear face coverings. Supervisor Do was cut off by Chairwoman Michelle Steele without basis and told to wait to advocate for frontline workers.
Common courtesy went astray when Chairwoman Steel violated Robert’s Rules of Order by cutting off Supervisor Do. Do should have been allowed to make his statement with ensuing debate. Instead, bullying killed any chance of a mandatory order for face coverings. Common decency calls for immediate agenda consideration of mandatory OC face covering.
Many of our poorest families in the county find themselves without head-of-household income. The COVID-19 forced unemployment places our lowest socio-economic strata on the brink of homelessness, hunger, and complete collapse. In many families, only the oldest teenagers working at minimum wage food service jobs are bringing in any money for the families. With school out, these teens are able to garner more working hours. It is most important to protect our working children under the age of 18.
San Bernardino, LA, Riverside and San Diego county boards have all mandated face coverings. We urge the Board of Supervisors to protect our children and community in a bipartisan fashion. Chairwoman Steele, please agendize and vote to protect our county’s working children and families.
Gina Clayton-Tarvin and John Briscoe
Trustees of Ocean View School District
