GOP leaders reject call for school mask mandate

By Taylor Brown

tbrown@yourmvi.com

With many Pennsylvania students back to class or about to return, Republican legislators don’t have any intention to pass a bill that would mandate mask wearing inside schools.

On Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf asked state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, and House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, to call lawmakers back to Harrisburg immediately to work on a bill to order schools and child care facilities to require masks in classrooms.

Standing firm on their position that mask wearing should be handled by local officials, leaders of the GOP-controlled General Assembly turned down the governor’s request Thursday.

With a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state, lawmakers feel it’s a matter that should be handled locally. 

“We believe that the current approach — allowing local officials to manage and respond as needed — makes the most sense and should be continued,” states a letter signed by Corman and Cutler.

On Thursday, 3,333 additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported,  bringing the statewide total to 1,284,532, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. 

With 1,645 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and at least 474 in intensive care, a spokeswoman for Wolf said he is disappointed by the move, especially without a vaccine currently approved for those 12 and younger. 

Since July, when schools first began discussing health and safety plans, Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 caseload has increased from fewer than 300 a day to more than 3,000 a day.

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