The Old Dominion Does Its Heritage Proud!

This outstanding story of Virginia’s serfs rising against their rulers was behind a paywall, so Mr Anonymous kindly extracted it for us:

MONTEREY — The Highland County School Board voted to defy Governor Ralph Northam’s public health order on Thursday night.

See? Told ya this story inspires!

After a contentious meeting that lasted more than three hours, board chairman Kenny Hodges made a motion not to accept the COVID-19 mitigation policy proposed by superintendent Dr. Tom Schott and instead make masks in school optional with a letter sent to parents to state their choice for their children.

There’s a novel concept!

Hodges and school board member Sherry Sullenberger discussed their concerns with masks and parental choice and potential legal liability for the school and the board for each option.

“I truly have a problem with masks,” Hodges said. “I have a problem with the masks, but I know this puts Dr. Schott in an awkward position because it’s a law.”

Many people in the audience shouted, saying masks were only a recommendation.

What an astute group!

Thursday afternoon, Gov. Northam announced a Public Health Emergency Order requiring universal masking in all indoor settings in Virginia’s K-12 schools for all students, teachers, staff, and visitors ages two and up. The order reinforces current state law, which requires Virginia schools to adhere to mitigation strategies outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. …

Sheriff David Neil spoke up, recommending the school board not require masks. “I hope you all vote your conscience and  not what the governor’s telling you to do,” Neil said. “These masks things are just a compliance thing … I’d like to see people in Highland county take a stand,” Sheriff Neil continued. “Let them take us to court.”

Whoa! No doubt a member of CSPOA!

“Who’s liable if we go against the department of health recommendations and the governor’s recommendation?” board member Joe Neil asked. “Who is going to get sued? It is the board who gets sued.”

Neil responded that he was advised by the commonwealth’s attorney, Melissa Dowd. “If I’m scared of getting sued, I should go home.”

Joe Neil replied he was thinking of going home. Several people in the audience shouted for him to resign.

Good advice, Neil. Take it.

Several people spoke out against masks and demanded a decision from the board so they could make alternate education plans if masks were mandated.

“We could be losing students,” Sullenberger said, and many people shouted, “Yes.”

Some people shouted questions, asking if masks would still be required on buses, which is a federal order.

“Are we going to buck federal, too?” Sullenberger asked, but no motion was made addressing masks on buses. …

Hodges declared the motion to make masks optional with a letter to parents passed.

Yee haw! Here’s hoping for thousands more reports like this one nationwide!

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9:30 am on August 16, 2021