Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) said Monday that it’s time for students to put their virtual learning behind and walk back into their classrooms — without a COVID-19 mask mandate.
And Sexton also said he and other state legislators have a plan to restrain public school district officials who think otherwise.
Sexton announced the news at a press conference at the Tennessee State Capitol.
This, after new data revealed falling test scores.
“What this does show is that we must continue to focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also it really does emphasize that students need and must be in in-person learning in the classrooms. I sure hope that a school system in this state, after this data is released, does not shut their schools,” Sexton said.
“If they do then I will ask the governor for legislation to allow those parents in those school districts to take their money through school choice and to go wherever they deem they need to go. There needs to be a message to these school systems that it is unacceptable to close school systems in our state anymore.”
Sexton also said parents alone should decide whether their children will wear masks in schools.
“I sure hope that school systems do not require a mask mandate for those students. If they do then I will ask the governor for a special session. If they close the schools then I will ask the governor for a special session,” Sexton said.
“And if we hear, which we have been hearing, that school systems are going to segregate students based on who is vaccinated and unvaccinated then I’m going to ask the governor for a special session. The time is of the essence to improve these scores and get the students back in the classroom.”
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said at the press conference that he and other state officials remain in close contact with the Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH). TDOH officials continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 and the Delta variant on children, Lee said.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Rep. Sexton” by Rep. Cameron Sexton.
