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Posted on 08/26/2021 9:53:42 AM PDT by lightman
Republican legislative leaders are standing firm in their position that when it comes to mask mandates in K-12 classrooms and child-care centers, local officials are better positioned to make those calls.
In a hand-delivered letter to Gov. Tom Wolf, Republican leaders of the GOP-controlled General Assembly on Thursday turned down the governor’s request for the Legislature to return to session immediately to pass a statewide mask mandate for students and young children in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
“We believe that the current approach - allowing local officials to manage and respond as needed - makes the most sense and should be continued,” stated the letter signed by Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre County, and House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County.
The governor’s office did not have an immediate comment about the legislative leaders’ response.
Wolf, who has been saying for several months that he favored leaving mask mandates up to local officials, shifted his position this week as schools have begun to reopen for in-person learning. In his letter, he explained that was due to an outpouring of calls from parents, teachers, pediatricians and others urging action to mandate masking in K-12 classrooms due to the inaction of many school districts.
Additionally, the state’s teachers unions advocated a school masking requirement as did the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wolf pointed out just 59 out of 474 districts that submitted health and safety plans to the Department of Education implemented mandatory masking as of the end of July. However, that number has risen since then as school boards have held meetings in the last week or two to revise their policies to require masks in their buildings.
“It is clear that action is needed to ensure children are safe as they return to the classroom,” Wolf said in his letter to lawmakers. “With school having already started in many areas of the state, the time to act is now.”
However, lawmakers, while expressing gratitude at the governor’s willingness to involve them in responding to the pandemic, said increasing vaccination rates is the most effective way to mitigate the virus. They also urged the administration to release more data to help local officials determine the threat the virus is posing to their communities.
Specifically, they said they would like to see a breakdown of COVID-19 case data based on the vaccination status of those infected who are infected.
“All Pennsylvanians - both vaccinated and unvaccinated - need to know how their respective group is performing. The rise in new cases within the state and across the country is a clear reminder that we must always be vigilant,” the letter from Corman and Cutler stated.
“However, the impact is not equal everywhere,” the letter stated. “That is why we continue to believe it is the best interest of local communities and their healthcare leaders to make their own mitigation decisions with support from the state, which includes clear and specific data upon which to make the best choices.”
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Good.
P.S. You supported Biden. You have no political capital. You are not getting anything you want. Now, go away.
Good for them.
From what I can gather there is a huge push back from parents on mask mandates in schools.
At least he asked, not like Michigan and Wisconsin where governors are glad to trample over liberties and ignore the Constitution they took an oath to uphold and defend.
Wow GOP do nothings,a letter. That will get the Wolf man.
Meanwhile they continue to block an audit of the 2020 election.
If the gutless GOP had any spine they would have allowed that special legislative session to occur and used it to pass laws that fight corporate fascism, censorship and assaults on our liberties.
The RINO leadership did not, will not, and therefor we must reject them for leaders who will fight for us.
Wolf’s wings were clipped by the voters who took away his blanket authority to issue mandates. It was a big win for liberty.
Great strategy. Dare the local rats to take heat at the polls for cramming masks onto children.
There are 15 school districts in my county. Only two have “everyone mask up” mandates. Two others have mandates for unvaccinated (basically elementary school) persons only.
The rest are “optional” (parental choice)
The pushback has come from parents WANTING mask mandates.
“At least he asked, not like Michigan and Wisconsin”
He has no choice as those unilateral powers were taken away from Wolf.
That was sweet when it happened...our guys fought him to get that. He thought he was invincible.
Here the kids riding buses need to wear masks but once at school not required.
“That was sweet when it happened...our guys fought him to get that.”
It was inspiring and I don’t even live in PA.
Our Republicans here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are banking on being exonerated by this drama from their betrayal of Trump.
Primary them.
They will find tricks to win the primary elections IMHO. Argall the state senator safe until 2024.
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