Covid-19 Response Update January 4, 2022

January 4, 2022

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Sadly Covid-19 is still with us as we enter a new year. Please be advised that the Center for Disease Control has changed its quarantine guidelines. You may find them here:

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html

Please do everything you can to protect yourself and others from this virus while you are at the college.

Yours in Christ,

Robert Thurman, President

September 28, 2021


Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

Yesterday, the St. Louis County Executive, Sam Page issued a new mask mandate for all public indoor spaces for every person over the age of 5 years old. As Christians we are obligated to obey our governing authorities (Romans 13:1–7), however, in regard to this present mandate, the Attorney General for the State of Missouri currently has a lawsuit pending against this mandate asserting that it violates Missouri law. Until this matter is settled in the courts, I am not going to impose a mask mandate on those who enter our building. I am going to make mask wearing at the college a matter of personal conscience.

This semester we are only be using our two largest classrooms, so there will be plenty of space for you to distance socially. If you want to wear a mask, you should. If you choose not to wear a mask, please show the upmost respect to those who have concerns about the virus and who wish to distance themselves from others. Please be mindful of Philippians 2:3-4, as you interact with those who have a conviction different than your own.
 
I would encourage you to note that the Centers for Disease Control is now recommending that everyone wear masks indoors in public buildings regardless of vaccination status. As before, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms or if you have been exposed to anyone with COVID-19, do not come to campus, and follow the applicable protocols we had in place last semester. Please use hand-sanitizer and good health practices while here at Brookes. Do everything you can to keep yourself and others safe.
 
Please understand that we will comply should the courts rule that the mask mandate is lawful, so this policy is not permanent, but we will do our best to obey all applicable laws.

Yours in Christ,

​Robert Thurman, President

July 29, 2021

 
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As Christians we are commanded to obey rulers and government authority (Romans 13). We are not exempted from obeying laws that we find unreasonable or objectionable so long as such laws do not compel us to sin against God either by omission or commission. As your president, I have consistently tried to ensure that Brookes remains in compliance with County regulations. To that end, I sent out a message on Monday stating that Brookes would be complying with the St. Louis County mask mandate that was announced this past Friday. However, inasmuch as Tuesday night, a bi-partisan super-majority of the St. Louis County Council voted to repeal the mask mandate, I am no longer going to require students, faculty, staff, and guests to wear masks while on campus.
 
It is true that our County Executive believes that the elected officials on the Council have no authority to overturn his mandate. But it is also true that the County Council insists that they do have this authority. I have no doubt all of this will ultimately be decided in the courts. Until then, since there are competing levels of government authority over us, I am going to make mask wearing at the college a matter of personal conscience. This semester we will only be using our two largest classrooms, so there will be plenty of space for you to distance socially. If you want to wear a mask, you should. If you choose not to wear a mask, please show the upmost respect to those who have concerns about the virus and who wish to distance themselves from others. Please be mindful of Philippians 2:3-4, as you interact with those who have a conviction different than your own.
 
Despite this policy change, I would encourage you to note that the Centers for Disease Control is now recommending that everyone wear masks indoors in public buildings regardless of vaccination status. As before, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms or if you have been exposed to anyone with COVID-19, do not come to campus, and follow the applicable protocols we had in place last semester. Please use hand-sanitizer and good health practices while here at Brookes. Do everything you can to keep yourself and others safe.
 
Please understand that we will comply should the courts put the mask mandate back in place, so this policy is not permanent, but we will do our best to obey all applicable laws.

Yours in Christ,


Robert Thurman, President