Aug. 31, 2021
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Rich Irvin (R-Huntingdon/Centre/Mifflin) issued the following statement on the school and day care mask mandate issued by the Wolf administration today:
“The governor has been saying all summer that the decision on whether or not schools should have a mask mandate should be left up to the individual school boards. After long hours devising protocols, receiving input from parents and putting plans into action now that kids are back in school, the governor is stepping in and superseding the people in the best position to make that call. What the governor fails to realize is that Pennsylvania, like most states, has select ‘hotspots’ of COVID-19 and schools are monitoring their area communities to watch for spikes in cases and will take further action if and when it is needed.
“Furthermore, the voters of Pennsylvania overwhelmingly voted in May to pass two constitutional amendments to end the governor’s ability to make such unilateral decisions. The people have clearly spoken, yet the governor continues to look for ways to exert his position.
“Earlier this month, the governor asked the Legislature to come back to Harrisburg early to vote on mask mandates and when we declined because we believe such decisions should be made by the individual districts, the governor found another avenue to get his way.
“I don’t believe what’s happening in Philly or Pittsburgh should dictate the educational experience for students in Huntingdon, Mifflin or Centre counties. Therefore, I will continue to advocate for local control.”
Representative Rich Irvin
81st Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tricia Lehman
717.772.9840
tlehman@pahousegop.com
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