The Education Department on Monday announced that its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating five states for their statewide bans on indoor mask mandates that potentially discriminate against students with disabilities who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
The pushback is good to see, and it’s important that the people in the red states see the federal government making a big deal about this. At least some of the people in those states is only exposed to one story, and has been since the start of this…big investigations and lawsuits is going to get them to wonder a bit about what the real story is, though most of the reaction will be about “big government interfering in our lives!” At least some of the people will see the difference between a government trying to protect lives and one that is throwing them away, and each one that then gets vaccinated is a win.
This one’s not a great winning argument. If your kid is vulnerable, no amount of masking is going to help, they’re stuck in a hard place until they can get vaccinated. Novel argument, but likely to backfire even more in resistance and possibly in the courts as well.
I think it is socially, morally, and politically important to push back against these murderous thugs, regardless of the legal hurdles. I do not think it will change the minds of the spreadnecks who make up bullshit reasons to avoid getting vaccinated, but that isn’t my point.
If the gops can performatively speak just to their base by making shit up, surely the Democrats can use the facts to speak to ours.
I agree with everything you said.
I would like to add that the actions of the school boards show how weak, ineffectual and easily ignored these idiot governors are. I don’t think enough emphasis has been given to this.
Y’all on this thread just don’t know how to prioritize. While we here in AZ don’t enjoy mask or vaccine mandates, Gov. Ducey has signed sports betting into law. We’re just lucky I guess./s
Good, we have functioning adults leading our government. It was a long four yeas….
As an Iowan I’m mad that our tax money will probably go to defending our stupid law banning mask mandates. I hope our Governor and Legislature get their asses handed to them.
That headline leaves a lot to be desired. I thought I had fallen into bizarro world where the feds were fighting mask mandates, not state laws banning mask mandates.
I too, hope they get there asses handed to them… but it is highly likely that you taxpayers in IA will pay for them to hold them.
Isn’t the headline of this article incorrect? Shouldn’t it reflect that the Ed Dept. and the disability rights groups are challenging the school mask mandate BAN and not mandates themselves?
Okay, so it’s not just me. LOL.
Yep, they need to add one little word:
Ed Dept Follows Lead Of Disability Rights Groups Challenging School Mask Mandate Bans
Thanks. I am here to say the same thing.
I don’t get why the conventional wisdom is that the pro-Covid party is going to take back control of the House of Representatives.
I agree 100% - SUUUUUUUUPPPPPEEEEERRR misleading headline. I came to the article expecting to be angry with Biden and was very surprised to see that they had stepped in against mask bans, not mask mandates!!!
Evidently, no one at TPM pays attention to the comment section, since readers have been pointing out the misleading headline for the past 20 hours, and it still has not been corrected.
By courts: now. By the electorate: next chance.