This special commentary is from citizen Lindsey Horne.
Why do we get to pick and choose which Executive Orders we should and which ones we shouldn’t follow? When Governor Northam put his EO into effect regarding masks, all private and public schools had to abide. Now that Governor Youngkin has rescinded this, we don’t have to comply? Our children are seeing this play out in front of them and we should not set the example that we only have to comply when it’s convenient. I am for the safety of our children, teachers, and school staff but clearly, masks are not the answer or we would not still be in this situation. How much longer are we as a society going to let fear control us?
How much longer are we going to let the Government control how we should think and what we should do?
“Any Society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither & lose both” ~ Benjamin Franklin
No one is asking masks to be banned, parents are simply wanting the right to make a decision on what is best for their child. It should have always been the parent’s choice. School Boards both private in public throughout the Eastern Shore are directly defying EO #2. It clearly states, “A child whose parent has elected that he or she is not subject to a mask mandate should not be required to wear a mask under any policy implemented by a teacher, school, school district, the Department of Education, or any other state authority.” It also references 44-146.17 of the Code of Virginia, stating any violation of this EO is in violation of the law, a Class 1 misdemeanor. “Executive orders, to include those declaring a state of emergency and directing evacuation, shall have the force and effect of law and the violation thereof shall be punishable as a civil penalty of not more than $500 or as a Class 1 misdemeanor in every case where the executive order declares that its violation shall have such force and effect.”
School Boards are using the excuse; masks are mandated by the CDC or use the excuse they have to get more information and guidelines. There was no step-by-step instruction on how to put them on but we need the step by step to take them off.
Senator Chase said it best, “To school boards and administrators looking for suggestions on how to implement this policy, here’s my suggestion. If a child comes to school on Monday without a mask, leave them alone. Don’t require them to wear a mask. If a child comes to school with a mask, leave them alone. Do not require them to take off their mask. Before a child goes to school on Monday. parents should talk with their student(s) and together make a decision on whether the child will wear a mask or not beginning Monday. Teachers can now fully focus on teaching and not worry about enforcing a mask mandate.” I’d like to also remind everyone, the CDC does not mandate mask use, they just recommend the use of masks – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html.
Obviously, School Districts are still entertaining the idea that masks actually work even though the CDC admits cloth masks don’t and only a fitted N95 mask is effective. I guess we shouldn’t worry because the Biden Administration has come up with a plan to have 400 million non-surgical N95 masks shipped across the US, limiting 3 per person. Will this finally end the pandemic? No, it won’t.
There are 133 School Districts throughout the state of VA. There are some districts that are choosing to continue to violate parents’ rights, there are some districts that are waiting to meet and discuss further, and then there are those that believe it is the Parent’s rights and is complying with EO#2.
Thank you, to those school districts that made it clear to put Children first by allowing parents to decide what’s right, and congratulations; you get to keep your schools funded.
School Districts that are complying:
Virginia Beach Public Schools
Chesapeake Public Schools
Poquoson Public Schools
Roanoke County Public Schools
Pulaski County Public Schools
Page County Public Schools
Bath County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools
Augusta County Public Schools
Spotsylvania County Public Schools
King George County Public Schools
Prince George County Public Schools
King William County Public Schools
Powhatan County Public Schools
Signed a very frustrated mother who just wants common sense to prevail once again.
Lindsey Horne
How much longer are we going to let the Government control how we should think and what we should do?
Have you ever stopped to consider that in this country, it is WE, THE PEOPLE who are the government?
So who exactly is this “government” that is controlling how we should think and what we should do?
I understand parents not wanting their children to mask. I work in health care and I have for 40 plus years. Mask is not our enemy. It is a preventative measure to help protect one from getting communicable diseases.
Think about Tuberculosis (TB). It’s highly contagious and it is airborne. One is required to wear a mask. Not wearing a mask is not an option.
Your child wearing a mask is to protect them and to protect others. Young children have a limited concept when it comes to infection control. It is better safe than sorry. Children are not immuned to COVID-19.
Think about the affect of COVID-19 on your child and on you. How many days of school would be missed? Who would stay at home with the child? How many days could you as a parent afford to miss from work?
To wear a mask is a preventative measure against communicable diseases. In doing so you may prevent the hardship that can be caused from your child getting COVID-19.
I never said it was our enemy, if you believe they work then continue to wear them, again let it be a personal choice. Mask also come with other negative implications that you have failed to mention. Which again is why it should be left up to the parents or an individual. Children are not immune, agree, but neither are they from the flu or the common cold. The kids have been in mask all school year, yet we still have to quarantine. Which is 5 days days.. hmmmmmmm… how does this make sense???
As far as staying home with them – my husband or I of course – it is our parental responsibility and one that we have always done when they had a cold or ran a fever or had any other illness and something we will continue to do.
Masking children is wrong and needs to be stopped, if it was an effective preventative measure I’d feel differently but it’s not effective for this and time has proven that.
Stop and think how many of these kids are masked elsewhere? It’s just at school while parents allow unmasked indoor play dates or they allow them to play sports without a mask or how about at the grocery store or restaurant. It is not very oftern any more I see children masked up unless they are in school – make it make sense!!!
The children are being conditioned to be submissive, subservient and to do exactly what the VOICE OF AUTHORITY tells them to do without question.
They are being made into GOOD AMERICANS.