No more masks at VA privates?
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Anonymous
Why? |
Anonymous
Not sure why you think that. Northam’s EO was consistent with CDC recommendations, while Youngkin’s is contrary to it. Here is what VA Code says about it: § 2. Each school board shall offer in-person instruction to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public elementary and secondary school for at least the minimum number of required instructional hours and to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public school-based early childhood care and education program for the entirety of the instructional time provided pursuant to such program. For the purposes of this act, each school board shall (i) adopt, implement, and, when appropriate, update specific parameters for the provision of in-person instruction and (ii) provide such in-person instruction in a manner in which it adheres, to the maximum extent practicable, to any currently applicable mitigation strategies for early childhood care and education programs and elementary and secondary schools to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 that have been provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
Anonymous
1) “school boards” concern public, municipal schools and doesn’t cover privates and 2) I would like to see a definition of “practicable”. To me that’s the trigger word. What one school thinks is practicable and another will not. I’m not sure around here but near Richmond I expect Hanover and New Kent to make masks discretionary after the 24th. I am from Richmond and have some contacts who teach in the big privates down there and they’re telling me many of their schools are on the fence. It’s not a done deal one way or the other. The big concern seems to be discipline against a student/family who won’t wear a mask after the 24th. As of now they are sent to the office and can be suspended. But after the 24th does the school still want to take this approach? |
Anonymous
Re your point 1), that is the question. Does Youngkin’s EO2 apply to privates? Meaning a private cannot require masks after this week? The quoted statute applies to publics, but Yougkin’s EO seems to apply to any school, unless there is something implied in it that applies only to publics. If it does apply to privates, then we have an anomolous situation where he has more exerted more authority over private schools that he can over public ones. As much as the right-wing seems to ridicule the left for virtue signaling, the irony is this is a symbolic act to signal to his base. ACPS, APS and FCPS have already indicate they will disregard it. |
Anonymous
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I assume in FCPS or APS, some activist parents are going to direct their kids not to wear masks after the 24th. The school systems are going to have to decide whether to low key ignore if it’s not a lot of kids or enforce the requirement. If they try to enforce I’m assuming one/some of those parents will go to court.
Schools like Potomac, SSSAS I bet keep the requirement. It is so ironic that at least one of Youngkin’s kids goes to private school in MD with a mask requirement in state with a Republican who hasn’t felt the need to go full MAGA… |
Anonymous
As I understand it, Youngkin's order cancelled Northam's previous order and in that previous order it seemed to apply to ALL school's and universities (including privates). I was on the board of a NOVA private when Covid hit in spring 2020 and a similar discussion was held re school's closures: Does the Governor have authority over privates and it was determined in some cases he does (at least for that school). So the easy part at the time was to say "We can go along with the order" and in 2020 that made sense. My term expired and I am no longer on the board so I do not know what current discussions are taking place. However, to speculate, this new order is worded in an interesting way that seems to make it more difficult for a private school to go against because it gives the power to parents, literally in the wording. It also has a long list of educational categories (schools, school boards etc) and I don't see definitions in the order. So now you will have parents that will push back because of this wording. I am very interested to see how this plays out (my own personal masks position aside). I believe whoever wrote this order knew exactly what they were writing and it is all intentional. I think the pendulum leans more towards the parents here. One thing privates might have going for them is that contract renewals are coming up, and it's a seller's market for privates, so parents might not want to make waves until they sign their renewal contracts. |
Anonymous
| The reality is if you are vaccinated you have taken measure to protect yourself and your family from severe illness. It makes sense after Omnicron surge is over to discuss what exactly is the off ramp? There is a lot of anxious people who never want an off ramp but anxiety should not dictate this. I happily wear a mask now and so do my kids in the current surge but what is the future? I think a graceful exit is to make masks a personal decision. I am sure in the beginning most will send their kids in with a mask and it will eventually go away unless there is another surge. Doesn't that make sense? |
Anonymous
i think this is right. I’m not sure how much legal authority Northam’s EO carried, either. What it did was give political cover to HOSs who wanted to implement a mask requirement without having to take hear from parents. They could credibly say to parents it was out of their hands. That’s why I supported Northam’s requirement. Now Youngkin has swing the pendulum the opposite way. Now if a HOS wants a masked policy, they not only have to deal with upset parent but are potentially in validation of the EO (i say potentially because I’m still skeptical of his authority here). So even if you had a HOS with a spine who would require masks in the face of parent opposition, they may not be able to under the EO. “Empowering parents” in the educational setting is a recipe for disaster. If parents want to micromanage their kids education, they can homeschool, find a school that checks all their boxes, or start their own school. For the rest of us, I’ll defer to the professional educators. |
Anonymous
I don't think it matters if you or the school agree with the EO. Our school has said previously that the Governor's EOs take precedent, It's only an option. I'm sure most people will continue masking in small private communities even if its an option. |
Anonymous
I don’t think it matters what your school says about whether EOs take precedence over codified law or not. |
Anonymous
I don't think the law applies to privates. But the EO does, |
Anonymous
Why would they shut down or even test? Just let it spread. |
Anonymous
Just received an email from my DC's school. Thank God they are still requiring all students, teachers, and staff to wear masks when school is back in session tomorrow. I would assume that most private schools will require masks. They have always made distance learning available for any students choosing not to wear masks. |
Anonymous
Most of the private schools were set up when schools were integrated. If an EO could not force them to integrate, EO will not force them to remove masks. EO only apply to government workers. I do not know if it will apply to students because they are not employees of the government. The courts will have to sort that out and they seem not likely to go a long with it. Also local government can require greater health and safety procedures vs the state. |
Anonymous
Virginia is a Dillon Rule state which could make things interesting (localities can only wield powers explicitly authorized to them by the state). So local governments may not necessarily be able to require greater health and safety procedures vs the state. When NOVA wanted to stay in longer quarantine than the rest of Virginia, the municipalities came together and asked for permission from Northam (which he granted). Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, etc couldn't override the Governor's declaration. |