Nine Republican-led states have tried to bar new mask requirements for no apparent reason other than to try to look like Donald Trump.
The most egregious Wannabes are the governors of Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Oklahoma. All of them have banned mask mandates, even with schools opening within days.
In Florida, Gov. Ron ("Strongman") DeSantis has threatened to stop paying school board members and principals who defy his mask mandate and fine them multiple thousands of dollars. The federal Education Secretary has said it will pay school leaders if DeSantis makes good on his promise.
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas was himself diagnosed with COVID19 yesterday. He has been vaccinated, so it's a breakthrough infection, and so far he is asymptomatic. So no, God did not smite him, no matter how much you may think the governor deserves it.
Abbott won a legal victory a few days ago when the Texas Supreme Court gave him temporary permission to uphold his mask-mandate ban in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio (remember the Alamo?). The governor's forces are trying to add Harris County, where most of Houston lies.
Arizona's Doug Ducey banned mask mandates, but that law doesn't kick in till September 29, so school districts will start as they wish. As for the land of the Tiger King, the lawsuits are flying as we speak.
In 28 states, local districts can make their own call. And then there are the anti-maskers in mask-mandate states, such as New Mexico and Ilinois, each with at least one district fighting in court for the right to leave masks off despite mandates imposed by Democratic governors.
With all this uncertainty, we can be sure of one thing: A lot of lawyers are going to be able to send their kids to private schools.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/568233-school-districts-impose-mask-mandates-defying-gop-governors?rl=1
Photo: "I hate you COVID" by Matthew Almon Roth is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
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