The Craig County School Board decided Tuesday to provide medical mask mandate exemption forms that don’t require a physician’s signature and religious exemption forms, although the medical exemption form requires an explanation.
“I do not think the physician should have to sign off, no physician is going to sign off on any of these forms,” Vice Chair Gina Smith said. “I think as parents we are responsible for our kids and it should be enough just to have a diagnosis or a medical reason that your child doesn’t need to wear a mask.”
During recent school board meetings, public commenters have spoken out against a mask mandate in the schools, with some calling for the board to resist despite the risk of being defunded or face legal repercussions. On August 9, the board decided to not mandate masks despite instructions from Governor Ralph Northam. A day later, Board Chair Susan Crenshaw resigned over the decision.
“Yesterday’s four-one decision to not follow the mask mandates and social distancing mitigation standards as required by chapter 456 of the Acts of Assembly was my breaking point. I took an oath to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” she said, saying the decision was politically motivated. “Ethically, I cannot support this position nor the direction this board seems to be taking.”
On August 12, Northam issued his own mandate for masks in schools.
On Tuesday, Smith said, “The public needs to know our hands are excessively tied right here as a board. We have an emergency executive order right here that has lots of verbiage that is up to debate. I mean, mask, no mask, exemption, non-exemption but as far as trying to keep our kids in school, that’s really the true goal for all of us up here,” she said.
Despite offering the exemptions, board members emphasized that parents who want the right to decide about masks for their children bear responsibility.
“I do think as we’re discussing both medical and religious exemptions we as parents are also supposed to be a role model for our kids,” Smith said. “So I truly hope, when you do use these forms that it is truthful, because we are setting an example for our kids.”
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Craig County School Board” by Craig County Webmaster.
