REDDING, Calif. – A top Bethel leader is addressing the coronavirus outbreak within its school.
Bethel leader Kris Vallotton wanted to set the record straight, so he took to Facebook.
“I just want to kind of dispel the idea that students came from all over the world, which they did, and they brought the virus and infected our city,” said Kris Vallotton. “That actually did not happen.”
Vallotton explains that students needed to get tested before coming to campus. He also adds students are required to wear masks while at school.
“All of our students wear masks all day long in all of their groups,” said Vallotton.
“They were handling it very well, they were trying to get everybody tested,” one person tells Action News Now.
In the video, Vallotton also addresses that video posted by Beni Johnson, another Bethel leader.
“She's speaking as an individual, she's not speaking for bethel church,” said Vallotton.
“She's not on the Bethel Church website speaking about how mask don't work. She's speaking on her own Instagram page.”
On Friday, Johnson made a statement on social media regarding the video that surfaced. In her statement, she states “We have all lost people that we know and love. And by no means do I want to make light of that. So for that I do apologize."
But some still remain disappointed about the video that surfaced.
“I was hoping that all the leaders were all on the same page,” said one person. “The mask for me is an honoring thing.”
Bethel also said in a statement that “It believes in a diversity of opinion and thought, and chooses to come together as a leadership team, lay its personal opinion aside, and make the best decisions for its church, school, and community.”
Shasta County Public Health says it has not seen an outbreak within the church community.