Vaccine and mask opponents rally outside school board meeting in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Dozens of parents rallied with their children outside the Santa Barbara Unified School District Board meeting on Tuesday night.

They don't want their kids to have to wear masks in school.

Erin Chadwick did not think there was proof that masks prevent the virus from spreading.

"I feel like we should all have the right to decide what we want to do for ourselves. We should have bodily autonomy,” said Chadwick.

The Carpinteria resident who home-schools her children recovered from the virus, and does not want to have to be vaccinated.

She said she doesn't want her husband who teaches in the district to have to be vaccinated either.

Other parents chanted as they listened to the school board discussion over a large speaker.

One of Justin Shores’ kids goes to school in the district and he said he does not want children to have to wear masks in class.

The district is following California's mask mandate for schools.

Caroline Abate said she chose not to get vaccinated and came out to collect signatures in support of the California School Choice Foundation.

Abate is in favor of a ballot measure that would allow parents to use education saving accounts at schools of their choice.

School board members are still ironing out COVID-19 prevention measures that include rapid testing on school grounds.

Santa Barbara Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Frann Wageneck said, "We're working on that right now. That's a large roll out of around 10,000 students that will be tested along with our unvacinated staff members on a regular basis."

The first day of instruction begins on August 17.