Youngkin, Greene and Balow further wrote that the governor’s masking order does not conflict with S.B. 1303, which they wrote should not be interpreted to require schools to “unthinkingly adopt every item on the vast menu of options” that exist for responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The trio cited another section of Virginia law that gives parents the “fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child” as supporting Youngkin’s move to leave masking decisions to parents. Finally, the brief cites the behavior of Youngkin’s predecessor in office, Ralph Northam (D), who in August instituted a mask mandate for all K-12 schools — drawing on the Virginia General Assembly’s decision during the pandemic to grant the governor broad emergency powers.

Source: Washington Post January 22, 2022 20:14 UTC