Rally held in support of Macedon child following mom’s arrest over mask fight

GANANDA, N.Y. (WHEC) — Parents in the Gananda School District Wednesday held a rally organizers said is in support of a child whose mother was arrested after a fight over masks last week.

A group saying "We Stand with Eli" held a rally of about 20 people outside Gananda Middle School Wednesday afternoon. It followed the Friday arrest of Laine Mulye, who police say fought a bus monitor after getting into an argument over the district’s mask policy.

The GSD requires students to mask up indoors, including while on the school bus.

Mulye’s attorney, Chad Hummel said her child has autism and was the only student on the bus. He claims his client stepped in when the bus monitor berated the boy for not wearing a mask. Hummel says the district is aware of the boy’s special needs, and he believes the bus monitor targetted the mother and son because of their stance on masking.

The superintendent, however, says the district stands behind the bus monitor.

As for the rally, organizers say they will not discuss the legal situation surrounding the fight and is instead calling for better training of bus aides and equal opportunity education. It’s set to happen around 2 p.m.