A group of far-left Virginians, claiming to be parents of children in public schools, sued Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) on Tuesday over his executive order lifting mask mandates for schools in the commonwealth of Virginia.
As reported by CNN, the Chesapeake-based group of alleged parents demanded that the Virginia Supreme Court block Youngkin’s order, signed Saturday shortly after he was sworn into office. The order lifted mask mandates for all school districts in the state, noting that although schools still had the right to make formal recommendations regarding masks, parents could opt out of mandates if they so choose.
The lawsuit claims that Youngkin’s order directly contradicts guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as a law passed last year by the Virginia General Assembly which forced school boards to follow the CDC’s guidance when returning to in-person learning. Since Youngkin’s order is allegedly in “direct conflict” with state law, the lawsuit claims that it constitutes a violation of the separation of powers.
The CDC’s current guidance demands “universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of their vaccination status or the area’s transmission rates,” falsely claiming that “the benefits of mask-wearing are well-established.” In fact, numerous studies, as well as the ongoing spread of the latest “Omicron” variant from South Africa, have proven that masks, as well as vaccines, do little to nothing to slow the spread of the Coronavirus.
Speaking about the lawsuit, Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter said that “we will continue to protect parents’ fundamental right to make decisions with regard to their child’s upbringing, education and care.”
Mask mandates are widely unpopular with the broader population of both Virginia and the United States. Youngkin was elected Governor last November in an upset victory against Democratic former Governor Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.). His victory, as well as the broader Republican sweep of the executive and legislative branches of the Virginia government, was attributed to his pledges on the campaign trail to end mask and vaccine mandates, as well as to oppose the racist and far-left concept of Critical Race Theory (CRT) being taught in schools, and to halt the implementation of pro-“transgender” policies in schools, such as allowing men to use women’s restrooms and locker rooms.