There's really three key angles when it comes to mask mandates in the Billings, Montana schools.

First, opponents to mask mandates have pointed to publicly available data that shows mask mandate schools in Yellowstone County have higher COVID case rates than mask optional schools. Second, School District 2 has signaled their intent to do away with mask mandates in the schools, but then again- they've done that before. And third, a Yellowstone County judge has now ruled that Billings teachers, fearing retaliation from the school district or their union bosses, can now speak out anonymously against the mask mandates in court.

We spoke about all of these key updates with Brooke Hudson, an SD2 parent who has been valiantly fighting to protect kids and teachers from the mask mandates in the schools. She helped start the website MakeMaskingOptional.com website.

Here's the full audio of her chat with Aaron Flint on Monday morning:

Hudson says the fact that teachers can weigh in anonymously is a big win.

Brooke Hudson: I don't think people realize what a huge win that is, because we've had private conversations with so many teachers throughout this last year.  We knew the stories. We knew things were happening, but  we weren't going to OUT these people without their permission. And so this gives a lot of these people a voice...they basically have been silenced...We care about these teachers and not just teachers. When I say teachers, I'm talking about the para-professionals, the secretaries, the counselors, all of them. I consider them all teachers, because they all have such an impact on the kids.

Hudson tells us that a hearing is coming up on January 28th at 9 a.m. in Yellowstone County.

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