RAYMORE, Mo. — The Raymore-Peculiar School District voted 6-1 Friday night to make masks mandatory for students and staff.

The Board of Education called the meeting just days before the new school year to discuss COVID-19 protocols.

“I strongly feel that masks will help prevent COVID but I also strongly feel that but will get others to agree with me is that masks will help prevent massive quarantines,” Dr. Cassandra Brewster said, who supports masks in schools.

The decision was met with backlash from some parents with multiple people having to be escorted out by law enforcement.

“That is a violation on so many levels! So many levels of a violation!”

The first of three people to be ushered out of Friday night’s meeting.

Several parents spoke up to say they are opposed to have masks in school.

“If you guys are gonna sit here and mask my kid against my will then while you sit here and none of you wear masks then I’m gonna demand your resignation,” Jeremy Harris said at the school board members.

“I would love to see my daughter be able to smile and show the teacher and her friends that she is smiling and interacting with her teacher and the people that I’m placing her in front of,” said Cody Jones, who was also opposed to masking in schools.

The first day of school for the district is Monday, Aug. 23.

At this time, Cass County does not have a mask mandate.

In the past week, Cass County has reported 295 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with one death, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

“It’s definitely been a trying 18 months to practice medicine in this environment with our county being the only one out of the ones I know of at least who never having forced any kind of a mass mandate throughout the pandemic,” Brewster said.