Virginia governor says parents are "best positioned" to decide if their children wear masks in school
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Wednesday allowing parents to opt their children out of locally imposed school mask requirements. The new law goes into effect on March 1, after Republicans and some Democrats agreed to pass the bill.
"This bill, now into law, reflects ... the fact that parents are ... best positioned to make these decisions for their kids. What we said yesterday is that if parents want their children to wear a mask, then they should absolutely be able to do so. And if they think the best thing for their child is not to wear a mask, then they should be able to make that decision as well," he said Thursday on "CBS Mornings."
Prior to the signing, school boards in the state were allowed to enforce mask mandates in schools within their districts. Four school boards had previously filed a complaint challenging the constitutionality of the order. But Youngkin said that in the last couple of years there seems to be a disconnect between parents and school boards.
"Well, the reality, of course, is that school boards are elected over an extended period of time, and what we've seen over and over, particularly in Virginia over the last couple of years, is that school boards are out of touch a bit with parents," he said. "So, what this law now clearly reaffirms is what already is in Virginia law, that parents have a fundamental right to make decisions with regards to their children's upbringing, their education, and their care."
COVID-19 cases have seen a decline in recent weeks but are still high in Virginia, where the test positivity rate is 10.7%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is considering loosening its COVID mask guidance but for now their guidance remains the same and they advise everyone, including children, should wear a mask in indoor public spaces in areas with high transmission.
Youngkin said his state is moving in the right direction when it comes to COVID.
"We're on the back end of Omicron and I'm excited about that. I think that we need to continue to recognize that this pandemic and COVID-19 aren't going to go away," he said. "But it is absolutely far less severe and we have a path to get back to normal and that's the path we're going to be on in Virginia."
