Biden administration opens civil rights investigations over bans on school mask mandates

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Source: Washington Post

The Education Department opened civil rights investigations Monday into five states for policies banning school districts from requiring masks, upping the Biden administration’s battle with Republican governors over pandemic policies for schools.

The letters were sent to officials in Iowa, South Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma and Tennessee, all of which bar local districts from mandating masks. The letters allege that these states may be preventing districts from meeting the needs of students with disabilities who are at heightened risk for severe illness should they contract the coronavirus.

The move follows up on President Biden’s promise earlier this month that the Education Department would use its authority to try to stop states from interfering with school districts that want to require masks. Governors argue that masking should be a personal choice for parents and families, and over the last few weeks, the disputes have reflected the larger national pandemic debate over personal freedom vs. public health.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/08/30/biden-school-masks-investigation-state/

[SheltieLover]

1. Outstanding!!!!!

Go Joe!!!

[grumpyduck]

2. Go get those fucking assholes!

[Slammer]

3. OSHA

That's an interesting angle to try.

They really need to brainstorm to come up with 40 different angles to attack this thing and then use all 40 of them.

I still think that having OSHA mandate masks and vaccination as a matter of workplace safety would be the most effective angle. And it's something that could be done quickly with the stroke of a pen.

Students aren't employees. But with the vast majority of people having to mask up as a matter of whether their place of employment is allowed to remain open and with teachers, administrators, and school board members being required to mask up on the job...it becomes easier to argue for masks for students as well.

[ananda]

4. I thought Texas did too.

No?

[GregariousGroundhog]

6. Greg Abbot's order got struck down by Texas Courts. I believe the same happened in Florida. n/t

[ananda]

7. It hasn't been struck down, but it appears that he can't enforce it.

That's because the only enforcers are the district attorneys
and many of them refuse.

But that's only for schools.

I don't know about other entities.

[PSPS]

5. LOL. "the larger national pandemic debate over personal freedom vs. public health"

Debate? Gee, what about the "debate" about the earth being flat? Or that "the election was stolen?" Maybe even the polio vaccine? The Washington Post does its reputation nothing good with this kind of lazy writing and editing. Geesh.

[Hekate]

8. Excellent!

[dalton99a]

9. Kick

[LetMyPeopleVote]

10. These death cult governors really need to get out of the way and let the adults take care of protect

Link to tweet

[twodogsbarking]

11. Mask or no mask the children will spread the virus.

Wait and see.