On Thursday, October 28th, 2021, I attended the Woodland Joint Unified School District Board meeting, hoping for a chance to express my feelings of frustration and anger, and hoping to refrain from showing it. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many parents were in attendance and once I spoke, I finally started to realize that I am not alone in this.
My speech has been seen over 5000 times since Friday. I have received so many messages and texts in support over the weekend. While I wasn’t quite capable of making it through, the following transcript is between 2 minutes 40 seconds and 3 minutes long.
We have a small chance and a short time to change what’s happening around us, but I believe we can.
“Good evening ladies and gentleman, members of the board, my name is Zach Kincaid, a concerned parent and a nearly lifelong resident of Woodland. My children are descendants of multiple generations of residents of the city and Yolo county.
The quality and safety of our children’s education is of utmost importance to all of us here. By enrolling our children into the public school system, we rely on educators and administration to provide that quality. We also expect the board to guide the schools in the best way possible to foster a safe environment for that learning experience.
I am not here to argue about what a historic advancement in medicine we’ve seen in the creation of the first MRNA vaccine. My issue has nothing to do with its efficacy, or the extreme reduction in severe symptoms for the most vulnerable populations.
I don’t need to argue about the fact that it only prevents severe symptoms and does not prevent contraction or transmission. I don’t care that other vaccines have been required in the past, or feel the need to point out what a disingenuous position that is, or point out that flu shots are not required. I don’t feel it’s my place to recite statistics about vaccine injury, or make any argument against anyone making the decision to use any of these available products.
I shouldn’t need to quote the medical professionals at the FDA approval of the emergency use, that were all easily summed up as “not enough data on myocarditis or other long term risk.”
I am here to point out how lucky we all are that our children, the most cherished members of our families, have been relatively safe from COVID-19. Even when they have contracted the virus they have remained relatively untouched.
I also feel that it is the parents and guardians who ultimately have the power to make a decision on what medical procedure they feel is best for those children. No school board, county health officer, or governor has the responsibility, let alone the right to make it for them.
I am also here to encourage the board to recognize that it is the right and responsibility of parents and guardians to make those decisions. These are our children, these are our choices to make.
My purpose in coming tonight, is not to fight with the board, only to inform you that we will no longer be participating in this charade and will move forward with our lives, and to encourage the board to disregard the Governor’s mandate and to speak out against it and help protect a parent’s ability to raise their own children.
Attempting to hide behind the tyrannical edicts of a misguided and dishonest executive, to shirk your responsibilities as a governing body, and claim that you were merely following orders while forcing a medical procedure, was not an acceptable defense in 1946, and is certainly not a valid excuse now.
There are many parents in this community who have students that really enjoy their experiences on campus, who are relying on you to do the right thing, and allow our children to stay enrolled in your schools and maintain the positive relationships they have developed during their time in the district.
We, the parents of WJUSD students, urge the board to take a stand with us against this madness. Your positions as elected officials are subject to change in the upcoming election. Our roles as parents will never be up for a vote. If changes regarding vaccine and mask mandates are not implemented, many of us will be pulling our children and beginning a new chapter in their education.
I am not here to debate or ask questions. I am here to help you understand that we aren’t seeking your approval, and we won’t be complying.”
The video can be found HERE on Facebook.
Or HERE on Twitter.