Governor Youngkin’s executive order on school masking has met court challenges and resistance from school boards. But, legislation could achieve his goal instead.
The House Education committee gathered Friday in a special meeting to fast track a bill that would greatly weaken mask mandates. The bill would allow parents to choose whether their children wear masks in schools
Testimony from constituents and Delegates was limited. Most speakers were opposed to the bill, including Lindsay Fogarty. She said she and her son were at special risk since they both have a rare disease and her fiancé is a public school teacher.
“You’re choosing to lose the mild inconvenience of a mask over my child’s access to education and his life,” Fogarty said.
“Thank you very much Ms. Fogarty,” replied Delegate Glenn Davis.
Senator Siobhan Dunnavant sponsored the Senate version of the bill.
“The medical evidence doesn't support an intervention,” Dunnavant said.
This is despite the Center for Disease Control’s continued guidance to require universal masking in schools.
Opponents also said that the bill would not allow for school boards to require masks if transmission increased or if the pandemic changed.
The bill could be enacted in the next couple of weeks, despite all localities in Virginia being in the CDC’s high virus transmission category.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
