The meeting will take place at the school administration headquarters, 31 Stafford Avenue as one of his first acts after his inauguration on Saturday, January 15, Youngkin signed an executive order declaring parents had a right to choose whether or not their child wears a mask at school.
In August, Stafford County schools required facemasks for everyone inside school buildings, saying the division is abiding by a law signed by Gov. Ralph Northam that mandates schools must provide in-person instruction following nearly two years of virtual education.
The law also requires school divisions to follow the latest CDC recommendations on mitigating the coronavirus to the “maximum extent practicable,” including forcing children to wear masks. Stafford’s neighbor to the south, Spotsylvania County, dropped its face mask requirement this week, while neighbors to the north like Prince William and Manassas City kept mask mandates for children.
Virginia State Senator Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico), who authored the law, disagrees with the interpretation of schools districts that cite her bill as the reason for upholding mandates.
“SB1303 has been used against our children and against its intent this school year to advance an agenda. SB1303 does not mandate the use of masks in school because the CDC does not mandate masks,” states Siobhan, a physician.
Following today’s meeting, the Stafford School Board will head to Williamsburg this weekend for its annual retreat.
