Shortly after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order giving parents the right to decide whether to send their children to school in masks, several school districts immediately declared they would continue requiring face coverings regardless.
Now, one superintendent is going so far as to direct school administrators to suspend students who won’t wear a mask.
On Friday afternoon, January 21, […] Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent went rogue and issued a 34-page “Principal Briefing” PowerPoint at a meeting with school administrators, ordering them to suspend students from school for a “Dress Code” violation if they don’t wear masks in school, according to a copy of the briefing received by Parents Defending Education. […]
- In slide No. 12, headlined, “R2109 Regarding Mask Refusal,” the school district instructed administrators: “Continue to follow existing regulations and practices. Any student who refuses to wear a face covering while indoors on school property or during FCPS-provided transportation, and who is not otherwise exempt will be precluded access to face-to-face instructional programming until they comply with the requirements of this regulation.”
- Regarding “Intentional Removal / Refusal to Wear Face Covering,” he said: “Intentional removal of or refusal to wear a face covering during the times face coverings are required by all students will be treated as a violation of the Regulation 2613 (Student Dress Code). This includes indoors on school property and transportation.
- This will result in an “SRR Violation of BSO7 (Dress Code),” and noted: “BSO3 (Refusal to comply with staff requests…) may be used as a secondary infraction code to document refusal despite redirection from staff.” The point has a big “NEW!” graphic beside it.
- The “Response” will be swift with a “1 day OSS,” which means “Out of School Suspension” for students who don’t wear masks. (Asra Nomani Substack)
Youngkin warned last week that these defiant school districts ought to prepare themselves "because we granted parents the option to decide whether they want their child to wear a mask or not, and we're going to protect that right."
He added, "every resource within the governor's authority" will be considered to ensure "parents' rights are protected."