Today, the Wolf Administration took steps to protect our children by issuing a universal masking mandate order for students, teachers, and staff in all Pennsylvania schools and childcare programs. This action was needed as more than half of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts have enacted a mask mandate despite the explosion of the Delta variant and a 277% increase in the number of children diagnosed with COVID since July of 2021.
This mandate, which will be effective on September 7th, comes through the Secretary of Health’s authority to protect the public from the spread of infectious disease. This authority is not related to the recent constitutional amendment curtailing the governor’s emergency powers.
Schools are just beginning to open and in districts without universal masking, we have already seen increases in COVID infections among students and educators.
Without universal masking in schools, endless waves of infections, quarantines, instructional disruptions, and even potential school closures were inevitable.
This reinstatement of universal masking in schools comes after school boards had the chance to require masking and the majority chose not to. Many school boards were battered by obscene, threatening, anti-science, conspiracy-theory-spreading extremists who disrupted meetings, divided communities, and placed enormous pressure on volunteer board members to oppose universal masking.
This decision also comes after Republican leaders in the General Assembly vehemently opposed taking *any* action to support ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment in schools.
Parents who have been tirelessly advocating for their school boards to follow basic health safety and medical guidance to help keep their children safe and learning in person can breathe a sigh of relief. And these parents should know that the phone calls they made, emails they sent, and school board meetings they attended to speak up in support of universal masking made this decision possible.
Unfortunately, there are still lawmakers, organizations and individuals who still believe that there is a political benefit in dividing our communities. We can expect them to continue their efforts to undermine children’s health and safety in schools.
Here are three things that you can do to support kids.
- It is important to thank Governor Wolf for his leadership on this issue. Click HERE to thank him.
- State lawmakers need to know that their constituents support this decision. Click HERE to find your state lawmakers’ contact information. Call their offices with a quick message that includes your name, address and statement in support of universal masking in schools.
- Finally, let your school board members know that you support universal masking and thank board members who have been supporting this.
After so much disruption, our children deserve to have a year of safe, in-person instruction in schools and healthy environments in their childcare facilities.
Now is the time for our communities to come together to support universal masking to give them the best possible chance to enjoy a safe and healthy year of in-person learning in their schools.
Click HERE to read a letter written by our allies at the Education Law Center and signed by more than 40 organizations urging Governor Wolf to support universal masking in schools.
Click HERE for more information about the masking order.