Last Updated on May 22, 2021
Led by America First Conservative Bob Good, Virginia’s entire Republican delegation to Congress sent a letter to Democrat Governor Ralph Northam demanding an end to the mask mandates enforced on children in the state’s schools. Under Virginia’s current COVID-19 restrictions – some of the stiffest in the nation – K-12 school students and staff are still required to be masked, despite the recent lifting of similar orders in nearly all other sectors of public life.
Signed by Congressmen Bob Good, Rob Wittman, Ben Cline, and Morgan Griffith, the letter asks the Governor to consider the facts surrounding COVID-19, its transmission, and its risk groups and cites medical research documenting children’s’ low likelihood of infection, and their even lower likelihood of serious infection and complications. Despite the research, Northam’s COVID-19 restrictions will force students to remain masked on school property even into the fall of 2021.
“Parents, not the government, should decide if their child wears a mask in the classroom,” Good posted to Twitter. “Today, I sent a letter to Governor Northam asking him to reconsider guidance requiring mask wearing in K-12 schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Parents, not the government should decide if their child wears a mask in the classroom.
Today, I sent a letter to Governor Northam asking him to reconsider guidance requiring mask wearing in K-12 schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia.https://t.co/F7y5CHr0BL
— Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) May 20, 2021
“Research has consistently shown that children are at low risk for contracting COVID-19, or having a severe case if they do become infected with the virus,” reads the letter. “Additionally, schools have not been considered a significant contributor to community transmission. Studies show that staff-to-staff transmission is more common than student to staff, staff to student, or student to student,” it continued, citing several studies to back up its claims.
Calling for the restoration of parents’ rights to make decisions regarding their children’s health and education, the letter raised questions surrounding long-term health concerns for children forced to wear masks and extolled big government’s attack on civil liberties that came in the form of Democrat-enacted COVID-19 restrictions.
“Parents should once again be given autonomy over their child’s educational experience. Parents know that children are at low risk for catching COVID-19. Parents know that wearing masks can be harmful to children’s development and emotional wellbeing. Decisions about our schools should from parents, not government mandates.
Over the past 14 months, our state and our country have made tremendous progress fighting this virus. Sadly, many misguided policies came at the expense of our liberties. It is past time to defend the freedom of each Virginian to choose whether or not to wear a mask.”
Earlier this week, Congressman Good was threatened with fines from Democrat House Leadership after appearing on the House floor without a mask. “We Americans need to take off our masks and assert our freedoms,” Good said in a Tweet following the incident. “I am being threatened with a fine from the Democrat House Leadership, but I truly believe I need to lead by example.”
We Americans need to take off our masks and assert our freedoms. I am being threatened with a fine from the Democrat House Leadership, but I truly believe I need to lead by example.
— Bob Good for Congress (@GoodForCongress) May 18, 2021
Subsequently, Good was served with an official warning from House Democrat Leadership regarding his “non-compliance to their anti-science rule.”
Today, I was served my official 'warning' from House Democrat leadership regarding my non-compliance to their anti-science rule.
Enough is enough.
It’s time for House Democrats to put an end to their political theater.
Follow the science. Remove the masks. pic.twitter.com/EiwLRtmayU
— Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) May 19, 2021
