Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Tennessee gov allows opt-out of student mask requirements
Source: Associated Press
Tennessee gov allows opt-out of student mask requirements
By JONATHAN MATTISE and ADRIAN SAINZ
August 16, 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order Monday letting parents opt their children out of coronavirus-related mask mandates in K-12 schools, after a few school districts issued mask requirements for students and others.
With the move, Lee also said he will not call the broad special legislative session requested by Republican House lawmakers to limit the authority of local officials to make rules aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, which has seen a resurgence in Tennessee via the delta variant.
All 73 Republicans in the state House signaled support for a special session last week, and a handful of school board meetings have become contentious as some parents fight mask mandates for their children. But the Senate’s Republican leader, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, had said he trusts locally elected school boards to set COVID-19 health rules for schools.
McNally on Monday called Lee’s order an “appropriate compromise that strikes a proper balance between freedom and public health.”
House Speaker Cameron Sexton led the call for a special session in a letter that spelled out topics broadly, ranging from addressing the authority of six independent health departments in larger counties — including Nashville and Memphis’ Shelby County — to make their own regulations on COVID-19, to looking into the practice of some businesses requiring proof of vaccination to enter their buildings.
-snip-
By JONATHAN MATTISE and ADRIAN SAINZ
August 16, 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order Monday letting parents opt their children out of coronavirus-related mask mandates in K-12 schools, after a few school districts issued mask requirements for students and others.
With the move, Lee also said he will not call the broad special legislative session requested by Republican House lawmakers to limit the authority of local officials to make rules aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, which has seen a resurgence in Tennessee via the delta variant.
All 73 Republicans in the state House signaled support for a special session last week, and a handful of school board meetings have become contentious as some parents fight mask mandates for their children. But the Senate’s Republican leader, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, had said he trusts locally elected school boards to set COVID-19 health rules for schools.
McNally on Monday called Lee’s order an “appropriate compromise that strikes a proper balance between freedom and public health.”
House Speaker Cameron Sexton led the call for a special session in a letter that spelled out topics broadly, ranging from addressing the authority of six independent health departments in larger counties — including Nashville and Memphis’ Shelby County — to make their own regulations on COVID-19, to looking into the practice of some businesses requiring proof of vaccination to enter their buildings.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-tennessee-4931f5a8277a3b564cf988164ced7a2a