School Mask Mandates Slammed By U.S. Senate Candidate Parnell

PITTSBURGH, PA — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sean Parnell on Tuesday blasted the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia public school systems for plans to require students to wear masks for the 2021-22 school year.

The districts plan to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in K-12 schools. The CDC advises that masks should be worn indoors by anyone age 2 and older who is not fully vaccinated.

But Parnell asserted that COVID-19 does not seriously affect children and stated in a news release that wearing a mask has become nothing more than political theater at this point in the pandemic.

"As the father of three young children, I am more worried about the long-term effects of isolating our children and hiding them behind masks during critical stages of their social development than I am about them contracting COVID," he said.

The Philadelphia School District announced last week that it planned to require anyone in schools to wear a mask when in-person classes resume full-time on Aug. 1. The district also will equip each classroom with air purifiers.

“We have taken every precaution and added some precautions ... to ensure that we have appropriate mitigation strategies,” Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said during a news briefing, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The Pittsburgh Public Schools will hold a public hearing on its 2021-22 health and safety plan on July 26 and school directors are likely to adopt it on July 28. The district also plans to mandate masks for its approximately 22,000 students, as well as teachers, administrators and any school visitors.

“As we prepare for the return of students for five days a week in-person instruction this August, we will continue to align our safety protocols and procedures with the recommendations of the CDC, state and local health departments,” Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said in a
statement.

“We are pleased that the guidelines provide school districts flexibility needed to ensure all students can come to school five days a week.”

Although both districts are following CDC recommendations, Parnell lashed out at Pennsylvania's Democratic leaders for the mask requirement plans.

"This is the latest chapter in the incessant nanny state being perpetuated in Pennsylvania under (Gov.) Tom Wolf and (Lt. Gov.) John Fetterman and it needs to stop," Parnell said. "I encourage everyone to attend the July 26 public hearing to say enough is enough.”

Fetterman is seeking the Democratic nomination next year in the race to succeed Sen. Pat Toomey, who will retire at the end of 2022. Fetterman thus has raised far more money than any Senate candidate from either party.

Parnell, an author and Fox News contributor, is running against several candidates for the GOP nomination. They include former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, Montgomery County real estate investor Jeff Bartos and conservative commentator Kathy Barnette.

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