'Slap in the face to health care workers': Tennessee GOP governor slammed for latest anti-mask gambit

Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee on Monday opened up a new front in his war against school mask mandates.

Via NC5 reporter Phil Williams, Lee issued a new executive order that allows parents to opt their children out of locally imposed school mask mandates while still being allowed to receive in-person instruction.

As local news station WATE reports, Lee's move came on the same day that Tennessee Health Department Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey revealed that "that the first half of August has seen more new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state than any full month of the pandemic," as there have been more than 1,000 COVID hospitalizations over the first half of the month alone.

Lee's move did not sit well with many Tennessee residents who are dismayed that the governor is not letting schools have more flexibility to implement their own rules -- check out some reactions below.