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.
@NC5PhilWilliams @GovBillLee There are kids with no food, the schools provide free lunch. There are school shooting… https://t.co/3PjXvXyIZa— khkelley (@khkelley) 1629148000.0
@NC5PhilWilliams @GovBillLee ALSO today: TN Nat Guard being deployed to try and prop-up overrun/collapsing hospital… https://t.co/JwnVau062z— Whitney Quandt (@Whitney Quandt) 1629148834.0
@NC5PhilWilliams @GovBillLee 18 cases just in my kids’ small elementary school the first week of school.— annie 🍦 (@annie 🍦) 1629147082.0
@NC5PhilWilliams @GovBillLee Lee avoided the political costs of a state-wide mask mandate by making it a local coun… https://t.co/6xdR66sxxq— Lauren (@Lauren) 1629146921.0
@NC5PhilWilliams @GovBillLee Using emergency powers to create a public health emergency is a disgrace.— Bob Zeglarski (@Bob Zeglarski) 1629149413.0
@NC5PhilWilliams @GovBillLee Meanwhile... https://t.co/GWvUsgyljX— Michael VanDeMar (@Michael VanDeMar) 1629149426.0
