Leftists in Seven School Boards in Virginia Sue New Republican Governor Over Lifting Mask Mandate

In response to the recent executive order in Virginia that says masks must be optional in schools, seven school boards have brought a lawsuit against Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. The Lawsuit states that the executive order goes against the state’s constitution and prevents the schools from following state law.

The law that was implemented in 2021 requires in-person learning and that school follow CDC covid mitigation guidelines to the “maximum extent practicable”, the CDC currently recommends masks for anyone over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status.

The lawsuit also alleges that the order goes against the state’s constitution. Arguing that the state’s constitution gives school boards the authority to run their own districts.

The school boards of Alexandria City, Arlington County, the City Of Richmond, Fairfax County, Falls Church City, Hampton city, and Prince William County are all suing the governor. They claim that they “do not seek to make a political statement”. But that they “simply seek clarification on the conflict between the Governor’s recent Executive Order and existing state and federal law”.

To Republicans, this may seem like an attack on ‘health freedom’. Virginia State Senator Sioban Dunnavant, who is a doctor, pointed out that the CDC recommends, not mandates mask-wearing. This may be used by the Virginia GOP to support the claim that the 2021 law does not mandate masks.

She told CBS6, “Today, we know that the risk of hospitalization for children is almost none,” Dunnavant wrote in a statement to CBS 6. “In fact, of Virginia’s estimated almost 1.9 million children, .07% have been hospitalized with COVID-19 since March 2020. At the same time, the use of masks in school presents risks of learning loss, social-emotional challenges, and other issues. Parents, constitutionally and logically, are the best people to do an analysis of what’s best for their child.”

Youngkin has not been deterred by the suit, he has said that he is confident that his administration will win the court case, but he has advised parents to “listen to their principal” in the meantime.

Youngkin ran on letting parents have a voice in their education. Terry McAullife, who lost, sided with the radical leftist that parents don’t need to be involved in their parent’s education. This played a major role in how people seemed to vote in the 2021 election in Virginia.

It will be interesting to see what comes of this suit and if the courts allow parents to make the decisions for their children.