Virginia Republican congressman Rep. Bob Good told a group of students to defy their school’s mask mandate and ditch their masks because the administration “can’t stop everyone.”
“If nobody in Rappahannock complies [with the mask mandate], they can’t stop everyone. If I was ya’ll, I’d say none of ya’ll wear a mask. What are they gonna do? They’re still going to have school,” Good told Rappahannock County High School government class of about 20 students on Thursday, according to Rappahannock News.
Good also told the students that masks are ineffective and the COVID-19 vaccine is more of a health risk to them than the virus itself.
Virginia Department of Health mandates that all students, teachers, staff and visitors in K-12 schools wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Thursday’s meeting was moved outside since Good refused to wear a mask.
Superintendent Dr. Shannon Grimsley told the Rappahannock News in an email that she is not worried about mask compliance even though Rep. Good encouraged students not to wear a mask.
“Our students and families are very smart, competent individuals who have seen in real time the impact of increasing chances of being quarantined or causing others to be quarantined, as well as the potential of losing privileges, such as the ability to host events and fun activities should numbers increase too much.”
Last week Grimley threatened to cancel homecoming and other school events if the number of COVID cases did not go down. 54 students and staff at the high school are in quarantine.
The district is experiencing a surge in cases that exceeds the spike it saw in September, but is still less than the initial onset of COVID-19 cases in August, according to the outlet.
