Sarah Lake of Norway awaits transport Wednesday at Norway-Vulcan Area Schools after being arrested for misdemeanor trespassing.

NORWAY — A parent opposed to mask requirements at Norway-Vulcan Area Schools was arrested Wednesday for, in her words, “taking a stand” at Norway Middle School.

Sarah Nichole Lake, 33, of Norway has been charged with one count of misdemeanor trespassing by Norway Police Department officers.

According to an NPD statement, officers went to Norway-Vulcan Area Schools on reports a group of parents was refusing school administrators’ requests they leave the middle school building.

“The parents were advised that, if they had been requested by the school administration to leave the premises and if they failed to leave, they would be subject to arrest,” the statement read. “All the parties vacated the premises with the exception of one 33-year-old white female. She stated that she understood and requested to be arrested.”

In an email to district parents about the disturbance, N-VAS Superintendent Louis Steigerwald said it is standard practice for school officials to contact law enforcement when dealing with potential confrontations.

“Our first concern, whenever there is a person or persons with unknown intent in our building, is for the safety of our students and our staff,” Steigerwald said. “Our concern immediately becomes heightened when requests from district administrators are ignored.

“The Norway Police did a fine job of arriving quickly on the scene and taking control of the situation,” he added in the email. “While the protestors did ignore administrative directives, they did not at any time issue any other threats or suggestions toward the safety of students or staff.”

After being taken into custody, Lake was transported to the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department. She was later released on her own recognizance, to appear in the Dickinson County 95-B District Court at 8 a.m. Nov. 3.

Lake confirmed she was among about seven or eight parents who went with their children, who had been ordered quarantined under COVID-19 guidelines due to close contact with a confirmed virus case, demanding the students be able to attend classes and do so without wearing protective masks.

The N-VAS Board of Education in September approved a policy, by a 5-2 vote, requiring students in sixth grade and younger wear masks while at school. The policy also stated masks were optional for students seventh through 12th grade, unless 8% of students are COVID-positive or in quarantine, though all students must be masked on school buses.

On Monday, district officials notified parents and students that 8% threshold had been reached and masks were required to be worn by all students and staff.

Lake said school administrators knew parents would be at the school Wednesday so they could take their children home if not allowed in class.

“They chose me to arrest because I was the only one who refused to leave,” she said. “It was me taking a stand, but it was a little bit of a surprise.”

Lake said she also attended a previous rally by Norway Families For Freedom, a group that opposes mask requirements for students, outside the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department office in Kingsford. At the time, according to Lake, law enforcement officials said they could not arrest the protestors, as they were on public property.

“For now, I’m not allowed back on school property, even though my kids go there,” she said.

Despite the confrontation and Lake’s subsequent arrest, Steigerwald said he stands by previous comments he made about respecting the right of citizens to disagree with decisions by the local school board and to peacefully protest in a lawful manner.

However, the superintendent said it was not the right time or place Wednesday for such display by Lake or the other parents involved.

“School buildings and school property, while school is in session especially, are not the place for those protests,” he said. “Schools must look to the safety of students and staff first and take measures to assure the safety of those persons above all else.”

As a preventative measure moving forward, Steigerwald said N-VAS will limit access to school facilities to the main entrances for each building, as well as the staffed morning entrance from the playground. Other than the indicated entrances, all other building entrances will be locked.

“These entrances will each be staffed as students enter the building for the school day,” Steigerwald added. “We apologize for the inconvenience. We are working in coordination with our police department to provide the most secure conduct of school that we can.”

Dennis Mansfield can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 240, or dmansfield@ironmountaindailynews.com.