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Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Louisiana Education Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley to clarify confusion parents may have about the reinstated temporary mask mandate for K-12 students.
The letter responds directly to questions raised about exceptions to the mandate and, according to the office of Gov. Edwards, in particular, the letter by the Attorney General Jeff Landry that ignores the dangerous fourth surge of COVID-19 that Louisiana is facing with alarming increases in case counts, hospitalizations and deaths. Currently, children under age 12 are not eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but coupled with wearing a mask, the office said it has been proven to be one of the most effective tools for slowing the transmission of COVID..
In his letter, Gov. Edwards states:
“…As you know, unlike many other states, Louisiana had a relatively safe and successful in-person year last year in large part because of masking by students. The need for this school year to start with our students wearing face coverings has only been made clearer since I announced this order on Monday. We are in, as Dr. Catherine O’Neal at Our Lady of the Lake stated in the Monday press conference, “the darkest days of the pandemic.” Our hospitals throughout the State are at capacity and are having to turn away COVID and nonCOVID patients alike. We simply must reverse the trajectory we are on – and right now. We can and will see our way through this darkness, but it will only be through more vaccinations and masking in public places in this critical time.
“I very much appreciate your efforts, and the heroic work of educators in this challenging time. By adopting these measures – and ignoring those that are unwilling to acknowledge the current crisis – we can keep our kids in school this year and keep them safe. Please feel free to forward this letter on to any school districts that may be addressing this issue.”
Click here to read the letter.
The temporary mask mandate went into effect August 4 and will remain in place until September 1, 2021, unless it becomes necessary to extend it.
