Justification for Mask Requirements? WCPSS Says It Needs To Follow the Law | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation. The author of this post is Bob Luebke.

    Tuesday's Wake County Board of Education meeting was filled with parents angry about the board's decision to continue the mask mandate. The News and Observer reported that board members said they were legally required to continue the mask requirement.

    My colleague Jon Sanders has written compellingly (see HERE and HERE) about the weak case for requiring masks.

    Parenthetically, we have a real live experiment going on right before our eyes that can help to answer the mask question. Private schools have remained open throughout the state with differing protocols regarding coronavirus protections. If risk levels are as high as stated, wouldn't it seem to reason that absentee and infection rates would be higher at private schools many of which have had less restrictive mask policies or covid protocols than public schools? But that doesn't seem to be the case. Sadly, that evidence doesn't seem to matter to the "science determines our path" crowd.

    But back to the school board meeting.

    After the meeting, WCPSS board Chairman, Keith Sutton said an interview, "As I indicated in several emails to constituents, we took an oath as elected officials to maintain the laws and constitution of the state and the United States. So, I don't plan as Board chair to initiate any action that would be in violation of that law."

    I'm glad Mr. Sutton and the board remember their obligation to maintain the law and uphold the constitution.

    Nevertheless, considering Sutton and the board's embrace of Black Lives Matter and Critical Race Theory, organizations and movements with Marxist origins and which advocate for an end to American culture and government — their sudden commitment to the law appears selective — at best.

    If there is a reason why one shouldn't view Sutton's statement as hallow and disingenuous, I'd like to hear it.