New Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) began his new job by ensuring that all masks mandates would be banned in schools regardless of what the community and parents want.
Speaking to the press on Sunday, Youngkin was asked about the Arlington school district still requiring masks regardless of what the governor says. Arlington County voted 76.7 percent against Youngkin despite his campaign pledge to kill masks in schools.
Youngkin said that clearly, the schools didn't listen to what parents wanted, assuming that the parents in Arlington don't want the mask mandate.
Arlington County voted 76.7 percent against Youngkin despite his campaign pledge to kill masks in schools.
Delegate Patrick Hope of Arlington County spoke to WTOP, explaining that the Virginia laws say that schools must follow the CDC. So, Youngkin's anti-mask order is in violation of existing Virginia laws.
\u201cNo authority at all.\u201d Delegate Patrick Hope of Arlington County responds to Governor Youngkin who said he may use state resources to try to force the county\u2019s school system to comply with his order - which effectively removes school mask mandates. @WTOP @HopeforVirginiapic.twitter.com/Z6ZoFGQ9yp— Nick Iannelli (@Nick Iannelli) 1642369517
Virginia parents online are already annoyed with Youngkin for ignoring their hope to keep their children safe.
The next several weeks should provide essential data on the effectiveness of masks in schools as they're removed and the virus spreads. Many cities in Texas, and around the country have been forced to close in part because so many students are out with COVID but more, so many teachers are out with the virus and they don't have access to enough people willing to step in to be substitute teachers.
Two other cities have joined Arlington in the effort, Richmond and Alexandria.
It would of course never occur to him that we\u2019ve all known since November that he\u2019d likely try to rescind the mask mandate, and that the school board has been listening to parents for two months straight, which is why they were prepared to state their opposition immediately.https://twitter.com/nickwtop/status/1482793696072450048\u00a0\u2026— David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC\u2122 (@David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC\u2122) 1642365102
Youngkin ran hard on being a uniter then on his first full day as governor escalates a fight with a local school administration which just happens to be in a very Democratic city \n\n#2024https://twitter.com/nickwtop/status/1482793696072450048\u00a0\u2026— Bill Scher (@Bill Scher) 1642362397
If Youngkin \u201clistened to parents\u201d in Arlington, he\u2019d already know that 76% of the County rejected him and his nonsense.https://twitter.com/NickWTOP/status/1482793696072450048\u00a0\u2026— Matt Rogers (@Matt Rogers) 1642369195
Thanks @APSVirginia from this Arlington resident for acting to #ProtectOurChildren, #HighRiskCOVID19 kids& teachers by retaining the #maskmandate despite demagoguery by #Youngkin& #antiscience virtue signaling by #antimask #rightwingextremists. H/t @AndrewWhitleyVAhttps://twitter.com/AndrewWhitleyVA/status/1482499049647489028\u00a0\u2026— Dan S #HealthcareVoter (@Dan S #HealthcareVoter) 1642322164
Youngkin reveals his day 2 plan of more government control.\n\nArlington Parents: we want a mask mandate\n\nArlington School Board: mask mandate\n\nGovernor: we will use every resource to ensure that Arlington parents can\u2019t have a mask mandatehttps://twitter.com/nickwtop/status/1482793696072450048\u00a0\u2026— Nick Freitas Paperwork (@Nick Freitas Paperwork) 1642367559
Most ARLINGTON parents clearly support #MaskMandates. #Youngkin got less than 23% of the vote to nearly 77% for McAuliffe in November 2021. So Youngkin is disrespecting Arlington parents after pledging to promote healing& be a conciliatory leader! Not a very auspicious start!pic.twitter.com/GVeLLHMM96— Dan S #HealthcareVoter (@Dan S #HealthcareVoter) 1642370910
They are my neighbors. And their candidate lost the county overwhelmingly.https://twitter.com/Redshift42/status/1482814290906304516\u00a0\u2026— David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC\u2122 (@David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC\u2122) 1642365533
Couldn't be prouder of Arlington County Public Schools which is apparently defying Governor Youngkin's edict dismissing mask mandates. @APSVirginiapic.twitter.com/hiu0jihdfI— Donald Camp (@Donald Camp) 1642362061
