This video is no longer available.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin鈥檚 executive order allowing parents to choose whether students wear masks in school went into effect Monday. Loudoun County school rules say students must still wear masks, but that didn鈥檛 stop dozens of students at a high school in Purcellville from walking to class bare-faced.
The students walked in to cheers and support from about a dozen parents outside Woodgrove High School.
They chanted 鈥淣o Mask Monday鈥� as many maskless students waved at the on-looking parents.
鈥淲e wanted our kids to have that choice,鈥� one mother told 91欧美激情. “And we fully support those that feel safest in a mask, also those that feel that the mask is impeding their learning or their health. So we’re just out here in support of their decision and their choice.”
Most of the parents echoed that they were simply following the executive order from the governor.
鈥淲e followed (former Gov.) Northam and his executive orders,鈥� said another parent whose son didn鈥檛 wear a mask into the school building. “Nobody retaliated; nobody rose up. We followed it because we are law-abiding citizens and we’re doing the same thing now. We’re following the new governor’s orders. You cannot pick and choose because of the letter behind the governor’s name. And I feel like that’s what (Loudoun County Superintendent Scott) Ziegler and the school board are doing.”
Also Monday morning, someone outside Woodgrove shouted that “tyranny” had ended in Loudoun County.
While many walked in without masks, more complied with the school system’s rule.
In a message to students and their families, Woodgrove High School Principal William Shipp said any student who did not wear a mask would be taken out of class and put in the school鈥檚 auditorium for virtual learning.
鈥淵ou will not be able to go out into the rest of the building if you do not have a mask on,鈥� Shipp said.
On Friday, Youngkin issued a statement requesting that parents listen to their principals while the executive order goes through legal battles. However, he did not rescind the order and it has not been blocked by any court.
- Sign up for 91欧美激情 alerts
- Sign up for 91欧美激情鈥檚 coronavirus email newsletter
- Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Latest COVID-19 vaccination numbers in DC, Maryland and Virginia
Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: 听触听听触听
