States blocking schools from imposing mask mandates on teachers and students could face federal civil rights investigations, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said Sunday.
He cast mask wearing as part of students’ rights, though he voiced reluctance to withhold federal funds from states that block them.
“We are prepared to launch investigations with our Office for Civil Rights to ensure that all students have access to this fundamental right of education. And it’s sad that we’re talking about this now,” Cardona told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“We’re going to use our Office for Civil Rights to investigate any claims that come forward to make sure that students’ rights are kept,” he added.
The governors of Florida and Texas have tried to prevent school districts from imposing mask mandates — a cause that has gained urgency as COVID numbers spike nationwide.
But last week, Texas dropped its ban amid legal challenges.
Florida is pushing ahead with its prohibition on mask mandates, with the state government threatening to withhold salary funding for school board members in districts that are requiring masks.
Cardona said Florida can’t block federal funding to the districts in question, adding that he doesn’t want to use federal cash to punish states banning mask mandates, either.
“I spoke to the superintendents of those two communities and I let them know that we have their back. And yes, they can draw down on the funds that were promised to them so they can safely reopen schools,” he said.
On the consequences of possible civil rights investigations, Cardona said: “At the end of the day, when we talk about withholding funds, those who suffer are the students. So we want to make sure that we’re communicating with them.”
The comments came as the U.S. has been seeing its second-biggest surge in COVID cases since the start of the pandemic; only last winter’s surge was worse.
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A socialist Democrat Party control tactic.
““We’re going to use our Office for Civil Rights to investigate any claims that come forward to make sure that students’ rights are kept,” he added.”
Why don’t these same Democrat Party fools vaccinate the school kids?
“a cause that has gained urgency as COVID numbers spike nationwide.”
Do you think that the Democrats depositing COVID19 infected plus a multitude of diseased illegal immigrants might have something to do with disease spike??
EXACTLY How is it A “Violation of civil rights” to not allow mask mandates?
FOR ONE, the science does NOT IN ANYWAY< PROVE masking up, works to stop the spread.
“Biden’s Education Secretary: ‘We Know What Works’; Mask Mandates Must Be Allowed.” Really? I would like to see your proof of that claim.
“We are prepared to launch investigations with our Office for Civil Rights to ensure that all students have access to this fundamental right of education. And it’s sad that we’re talking about this now,” Cardona told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” You’re making yourself look like a fool trying to take a stand of toughness. There aren’t any civil rights violations here, Mr Cardona. Not wearing a mask is not denial of education unless the government mandates that non-mask wearing students cannot attend school. So, your huffery and puffery is just a lot of hot air. The real rights issue is the attempt by the government to deny people their Constitutional right to choose for themselves how they want to deal with this COVID fiasco.
And, if you people “know what works”, then this panicdemic would have been over by now. Another airhead in the education sector.
Maybe they should consider the CHILD ABUSE they are creating by forcing children to wear those masks that are ineffective. If parents were to make the kids wear masks before the China virus, the Socialist Democrats would have YELLED child abuse immediately !
Folks demand your schools END this HOAX ! It is all just political propaganda !
And where was their ‘concern’ for the learning of all kids, ALL LAST YEAR!
Where is the science that shows masks work. There is none, but there is plenty that show that they do not work. The cloth masks and disposable ones are lucky to stop 10% of virus. OSHA would never allow any of those masks to be worn for asbestos abatement and asbestos particles are way bigger then covid virus.
HEck. What of all the videos we’ve seen of folks PASSING OUT< because of lack of oxygen getting to them, due to being forced to wear masks, while say working out, or doing strenuous jobs???
So if one doesn’t wear a mask, it is a Civil Rights, violation? Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, you are violating the Civil Rights of Americans, by forcing Americans to wear masks, that are a breeding ground for bacteria, mold and fungus. Also, masks increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood and brain. So Miguel, you and the Biden Administration should be investigated for violating the Civil Rights of Americans.
The Department of Education is creating one of the Democrats’ straw man crises they do so well. As far as I have seen or heard no state, community, or school board has banned masks, parents and students are being given the OPTION, you know: personal choice, to wear or not to wear. This is anathema to the Marxist, socialist, radical left leaning, Democrats who covet control more than anything, and they have the perfect tool (stooge) in the Secretary to further it.
“You love me don’t you? Then PROVE your love…” says the over excited teen to his poor date.
“You want your kids educated, right? Then mask them up.” says the morally superior “expert”.
Remember the kids only have (due to age) a greater than 99.97% chance of survival if infected.
The students safety is all important. But don’t you dare place an armed guard in that school.
It’s all leftist Kabuki.
Yea, because armed guards, ‘scare’ the kids!’..
How does a lack of a mask mandate violate civil rights? No one is preventing or restraining anyone from choosing to wear a mask. If you say by not requiring everyone to wear a mask then a mask capable of 100% effectiveness should be issued. They are available. Otherwise you’re not controlling the air being breathed by the violated party. Make sure you do it right by using science to provide an effective mask rather than a tissue to stop spit.
Apparently, BEING ABLE TO MANDATE people comply, or else, is now a ‘civil right’!
“We know what works….”
PROVE IT!
“We know what works;” It ain’t your brains, that’s for sure!!
IF masking up, worked, THEN WHY HAVE literally hundreds of thousands of folk, WHO WORE MASKS< STILL contracted covid!
IF masking worked, WHY HAVE literally thousands of nurses and doctors, who wore MORE THAN JUST MASKS, gotten sick!
Any of the squatter-in-chief’s cabinet or staff are also squatters and should be kicked out of their offices–starting with the squatter in the White House. No masks, no social distancing (a joke) and no shot (but it’s your choice)….
Babies tested before all the covid masking and social distancing nonsense averaged 100 on IQ testing, 14 months later those IQ scores dropped by 21 points. TWENTY-ONE points. This can never be made up, but let’s mask all the kids because “we know what works”…. what works to dumb kids down and make them OBEY so they’re easier to control than their parents. (ok, SOME of their parents, some parents obey the government perfectly fine.)
IMO DUMBING THIS NATION down, has long been part of the left’s goal. BECAUSE A SMART society is unwilling to ever vote communism in!
The issue is NOT banning those who chose to wear masks. It is banning those who chose NOT to wear masks.
If you want to wear a mask, do it. If you want to wear a straw hat with a purple flower in it, be my guest.
If you MANDATE that my grandchildren must wear a useless cloth over their faces which it destined to become damp and warm and the host site for a multitude of bacteria, NO. Each and every opening in a face mask is a relatively huge pathway for BILLIONS of viruses. Masks are useless. Masks are useless. Masks are useless. (Do you understand the word “useless” or do I have to further explain?)
Similarly, the “safe and effective” covid shots are anything but. These vaccines are made from fetal tissue which is not “safe” for the helpless child from which the tissue was stolen. It is thus morally and religiously unacceptable to use such material. Then as to “effective,” even the Fake News media admits that “fully immunized” people can and do become infected with the virus. BTW, the Big Pharma-accepted medications are ineffective but the non-Big Pharma medications have been proven “safe and effective” for many decades.
To recap: Masks are useless; even detrimental. The vaccines do not work; and encourage the murder of even more unborn children.
There is NO up-side to masks or the vaccines or for sheeple to foolishly comply with baseless government mandates.
AND if “Vaccines” worked, then why have literally THOUSANDS of folks, who have had both ‘shots, STILL GOTTEN SICK with covid?
Why are so many folks coming down with blood clots cause of them.
Why have so many thousands of folks, had ‘adverse reactions!” HELL THE CDC even got caught RED HANDED< removing a large # o those who DID, from the database, tracking them!
Anyone even remotely connected to the stupid senile old geezers administration should ****! Nothings works if senile Joe is connected to it.
Govt may be able to mandate covid or other vaccinations for school age kids but neither state govt nor bully teacher unions have any such precedent or authority to mandate basically useless & physically / emotionally harmfu! mask wearing for hours on end for anyone, adult or kids, who don’t want to do so,
We already are close to 80% vaccinated which SC long time ago ruled was herd immunity for smallpox so the political mandates, hysteria & fear mongering must stop.
Covid vax & masking so far has failed to actually prevent catching the virus in a less severe or deadly form for most people so we just need to learn deal with it being around forever like the flu.
Fed govt is not allowed (so far) to mandate vax on public in all states so they are coercing private entities to do so & since they presume general public all to be liars & anti vax then our medical privacy must be violated by proving our vax to strangers at McDonald’s to eat inside & then still.wear masks.
IT won’t matter HOW MANY Get the shot. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO fear monger, as long as We let them!