- An immunocompromised high school student was heckled at a school board meeting in
California . - Rami Zwebti was defending mask mandates at the school board meeting when parents started heckling.
A California school district is promising "change" after parents heckled an immunocompromised high school student who had publicly defended mask mandates, according to reports.
Buchanan High School senior Rami Zwebti was heckled at the Clovis Unified School District board meeting last week after speaking about the legitimacy of mask mandates in schools, according to Bakersfield.com.
"We sit here arguing about a piece of fabric that weighs 12 grams while millions of families lose their loved ones," Zwebti said, according to the report. "Set aside your pretentious arrogance and think of those you hold dear. Think about how you would feel if they were suddenly taken from without warning, without mercy."
"I'm sick of hearing abled individuals complain about masking and vaccines. Your ignorance and privilege speaks volumes," Zwebti added.
As Zwebti, who identifies as non-binary, returned to their seat, they were booed and yelled at by parents and community members, the report said.
Clovis Unified School District Superintendent Eimear O'Brien called the meeting "disturbing and utterly unacceptable" in a statement to Insider.
O'Brien said that she has been in touch with Clovis Unified School Board President Steven Fogg and asked that he address the meeting protocols to make sure that students feel like it's safe to attend.
Fogg said in a statement to The Fresno Bee that any plans for change involves time.
The "change we need to consider are complex and must be done wisely," he said, according to the report.
"We WILL not tolerate the mistreatment of our board members, parents or students who speak at our board meetings," he added.
The superintendent also said that she reached out to Zwebti to offer support.