In spite of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s executive order, Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) officials have sent out robocalls to parents to tell them they may not opt their child out of COVID-19 mask mandates.
The Tennessee Star obtained a recording of a robocall that MNPS officials sent out this week.
“Hello, this is Metro Schools calling to let you know that face masks will continue to be required in all of our facilities until further notice in keeping with the rules adopted by the Board of Education and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Metro Schools are charged with educating students and keeping them safe. Universal masking policies during the pandemic are a key mitigation strategy to do just that,” according to the call.
“The district is reviewing an executive order that was issued by the governor late this afternoon related to the options for parents to opt out of these mask requirements. The order was issued without prior notice to school districts for review or comment. As such, Metro Schools will continue to require face masks pursuant to the rules adopted by the board as we further review this order and explore all options available to the district to protect the health of our students, teachers, and staff. Thank you.”
MNPS spokesman Sean Braisted told The Star by email Friday that the district sends out robocalls to school district families regularly with updates and other important information.
“They are termed ‘callouts,’ and come through a district-funded Blackboard ParentLink system,” Braisted wrote.
“We are not charged for individual calls, but the system itself. Which also sends out emails and text messages. This particular call went out Monday and went to all parents and staff.”
Lee told Clay Travis and Buck Sexton on their nationally syndicated radio program this week that his “executive order actually gives the school district the authority to impose a mandate, but it gives the parent the ability to opt out of that if they choose it.”
“I have always been a really strong believer that parents know best what their children need. So I’m a parent. I raised four kids, got eight grandkids. No one knows their kid like the parent. No one cares about their children more than their parents, and so in the middle of all of this Covid world that we’re living in, which is people,” Lee told Travis when asked about Executive Order No. 84, which he signed Monday.
“There’s a lot of fear, a lot of frustration, and a lot of anger, at the end of the day I think when we think about children in schools and Covid and masks and vaccinations, it ought to be left up to the parent. I’m also a believer in government that’s closest to the people is the best. So I think local decision-making is important.”
MNPS District Six Board Member Fran Bush said earlier this month that she wanted masks made optional.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
