Virginia GOP slams Northam over masks in schools stance

UP TO LOCALITIES TO DECIDEWHETHE MRASKS WILL BEREQUIRED TO.

BE WORN IN SCHOOLS.BUT HE DID MENTION A NEWSTATE LAW REQUIRING IN- PERSONINSTRUCTION.STATE LAW STTAES THAT SCHOOLSWILL FOLLOW C-D-CGUIDELINES TO PREVENT COVID TOTHE "MAXIMUM EXTENTPRACTICABLE".CURRENTGUIDEILNES SAY MASKS SHOULD BEWORN BY ALL.BUT THE AUTHOROF THE BILL SAYS THE DECISION ONTHESE PRACTICAL MEASURES SHOULDBE MADE BY THE LOCALITIES BASEDON THEIR ASSESMENT OF THECLASSROOM...ANY MANDATE THAT TRIES TO FORCEEVERYBODY TO COMPLY WITH ONEPARTICULAR ISSUE IS VERYDIFFICULTO TIMPLEMENT WHEN YOU'RE DEALINGWITH THE DIVERSITY WE HAVEIN OUR CHILDREN.WE REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL LOCALSCHOOLS DISTRICST ABOUT HOW THEYARE HANDLING THE NEW GUIDANCE...RICHMOND AND DINWIDDIE PUBICLSCHOOL SAYS THEY WILL REQUIREALL STUDENTS TOWEAR MASKS.PRINCEG EORGEAND HENRICO COUNTY SCHOOLS SAYMASKS WILL BE HIGHLYRECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED.CHESTERFIELD AND HENRICO SCHOOLOFFICALSSAY SCHOOL LEADERS WILL ASSESSTHE NEW GUIDANCE AT THEIRSCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS THISTUESDAY AND THURSDAY,RESPECTIVELY.MEANWHILE, WE'RE HEARING FROMTHE HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER ONNORTHAM'S MASK ANNOUNCEMENT...TODD GILBERTISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING INPART -- QUOTE -- " RATHER THANSIMPLY ANNOUNCING THAT HE WILLREQUIRE MASKING OFVACCINATED STUDENTS AND TEACHERSIN K-12 SCHOOLS, HEINSTEAD DECIDED TO HIDE BEHIND AFALSE INTERPRETATIONOF A LAW THAT ALREADY DELAYEDTHE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS T OTHISFALL" END QUOTE.SPEAKING OF SCHOOLS...SUPERINTENDENT OF RICHMONDPUBLIC SCHOOLS -- JASON KAMRAS-- WILL RECOMMEND A MANDATE FORALLEMPLOYEES WITH THE SCHOOLDISTRICT TO GET THE COVID-19VACCINE.IN A NEWSLETTER -- KAMRAS WROTETHE MANDATE WILL BE SIMILAR TOTHEONE ISSUED BY MAYOR LEVAR STONEYEARLIRE THIS WEEK FORCITY EMPLOYEES.KAMRAS CITESTHE DELTA VARIANT...AND THEFACT THAT 250 RICHMOND STUDENTSHAD TO QUARANTINEDURING SUMMER SCHOOL BECAUSE OFPOSITIVE CASES.HE'S EXPECTED TO MAKE THISRCOEMMENDATION DURING A SCHOOLBOARD MEETING ON AUGUST 16TH...SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARERESPONDING TO KAMRAS'RECOMMENDATION.JONATHAN YOUNGISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING: "IWAS VACCINATED SINCE I WAS FIRSTAFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY THISSPRING, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TOGET THE SHOT BUT TO ADOPT A BIG-BROTHERGOVERNMENT MANDATE CONSTITUTES AGROSS ABUSE OFPERSONS' CIVIL LIBERTIES."