Legislators consider ending statewide school mask mandate

Kentucky's teacher of the year is speaking out, urging lawmakers to not end the mask mandate in schools.

YEAR IS SPEAKINGOUT TONIGHT...URGING LAWMAKERSTO NOT END THEMASK MANDATIN ESCHOOLS.THE SPECIALSESSION TOADDRESS THE COVIDSURGE WILLCONTINUE THISCOVERAGETOMORROW WHENLEGISLATORS AREEXPECTED TTAO KEUP AN EDUCATIONBILL.NANCYIF IT PASSES AS I S,THE BILL WOULDMAKE THE STATEBOARD OFEDUCATION MASKREQUIREMENT NULLAND VOID.LEX 18'S KATHERINECOLLINS SPOKE TOKENTUCKY'STEACHER OF THEYEAR, WHO HOPESLAWMAKERS WILLPUT SAFETY FIRST.KENTUCKY'S COVID-19 RESPONSE IS INTHE HANDS OF THEGENERALASSEMBLY......BUSOT METEACHERS AREWORRIED ABOUTONE BILL INPARTICULAR...1:45WE'RE ALL READYFOR IT TODEFINITELY COME TOAND END BUT RIGHTNOW IN THE MIDDLEOF THIS LATESTSURGE OF COVID,LIKE IT'S JUSTDEFINITELY NOT THETIME.DONNIE PIERCEY ISKENTUCKY'S 2021TEACHER OF THEYEAR...AND HE'STALKING ABOUT ABILL THAT, PIFASSEDAS IS, WOULDNULLIFY THEKENTUCKY BOARDOF EDUCATION'SSTATEWIDE MASKMANDATE...4:40I WANT TO MAKESURE THAT EVERYSTUDENT AND STAFFMEMBER INKENTUCKY IS KEPTSAFE AND RIGHTNOW MKSAS, AND IFYOU ARE ABLE TOGET VACCINATED, TOGET THATVACCINATED, IT'SREALLY THEFASTEST AND BTESWAY TO DO THAT.SENATE PRESIDENT,REPUBLICANROBERT STIVERSSAID TODAY THAT HEBELIEVES MASKDECISIONS SHOULDBE UP TO INDIVIDUALDISTRICTS.02:18:15WHEN YOU DO IT ONA STATEWIDE, YOUDON'T GET DOWN TOTHAT LOCAL LEVELTO UNDERSTANDWHAT PARTICULARLYIS TAKING PLACE IN ACITY OR COUNTYAND IT HAS BEENEXTREME ON MANYPLACESKENTUCKYCOMMISSIONER OFEDUCATION JASONGLASS SAID "THEPOLITICALLYMOTIVATED EFFORTTO REMOVEMASKINGREQUIREMENTS INPUBLIC SCHOOLSFLIES IN THE FACEOF VIRUS MITIGATIONEFFORTS AT THEVERY TIME THEY ARENEEDED MOST."GOVERNORBESHEAR ECHOEDTHAT CONCERN...16:12:07SURELY WE SHOULDAT LEAST BE ABLE TOGET TO A POINTWHERE ORANGE ORRED, THEY CANEITHER SAY MASKINGAT THAT POINT ISREQUIRED OR THEYGIVE AUTHORITY TOMYSELF, THEY CANTHE COMMISSIONERBUT I MEAN BEING INA RED COUNTY ANDGOING UNMASKED, IMEAN IT JUST WON'TWORK.THE REPUBLICLANCONTROLLEDLEGISLATURE MEETSAGAIN WEDNESDAYHEWRE THE HOUSECOMMITTEE ONEDUCATION ISEXPECTED TODISCUSS THE BILL ATNOON.KATHERINE COLLINS,LEX 18 NEWS.NANCYFAYETTE AND