By Brent Addleman | The Center Square
Vermont’s universal mask mandate for public schools will be lifted Feb. 28, Gov. Phil Scott said.
The governor announced the move during his weekly press briefing, citing discussion with the White House and governors from around the country. He said it was “time to adapt” as many states around the country have lifted mask mandates.
Before the school year began, Scott said that students would be required to wear masks until 80% of all students were vaccinated against COVID-19.
“That was delayed several times with a decision point scheduled for Feb. 28,” Scott said. “Our team has decided to not delay it again. Throughout the pandemic, we led the nation in so many ways and have done so by an incremental approach. This won’t be any different.”
Scott said the “80% guidance” would only be the first phase in a process.
“We think this is the right step because it is something we developed at the beginning of the school year and it is something schools have had time to think about and plan for,” Scott said. “However, schools should know this is only the first step. In the very near future, if all goes to plan, we intend to recommend lifting the mask mandate altogether.”
Scott cited decisions in neighboring states, and across the country, who have moved to remove masks from kids in schools.
“No one is in a better situation to make these decisions than Vermont,” the governor said, advising residents there are “more tools and protections” they can use as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“We understand more about mitigation measures, and all this means it is time to adapt,” the governor said. “The fact is our kids need to get back to normal. They have been through a lot. We should begin this transition as soon as possible. I want everyone to understand this came with a lot of thought and deliberation. We wouldn’t make this change if we didn’t think it was the right thing to do.”
The decision to not delay the decision on masking was met with questions from a pair of state representatives, who took to Twitter to voice concerns.
Rep. Barbara Rachelson, D-Chittenden, asked the governor in a tweet, “And without masks we put children at more risk. Why?”
And without masks we put children at more risk. Why ? @GovPhilScott #vtleg #vtpoli https://t.co/ULW0KZxm4Q
— Barbara Rachelson (@BRVermont) February 16, 2022
Rep Selene Colburn, P-Chittenden, expressed disappointment in Gov. Scott’s “push to drop protections that are working” in education in a tweet. Then asked, “why the rush?”
I continue to be so disappointed in the @GovPhilScott administration’s push to drop protections that are working in #vted — why the rush? https://t.co/uqFbNegQTq
— Selene Colburn (@selene_colburn) February 16, 2022
Scott said kids have not been able to “see the faces of friends” and the “anxiety that comes with the constant reminder of the virus” has been an ongoing strain on mental health.
“Moving away from masking won’t be comfortable for some,” Scott said. “They may want to continue wearing them and that is OK and we need to be respectful and kind. Everyone has the right to make those decisions for themselves.”
Dan French, who serves as secretary of Education, said in a news release the schools have gone through “an incredibly difficult year” and removing masks was “an important step to getting them back to normal.”
This is a very dense article by Geert Vanden Boche, here is a synopsis (but watch this Video first):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enHFdQoAyew
It goes without saying that large scale booster campaigns and vaccination programs using updated (i.e., anti-Omicron) vaccines are only going to inflate surges in infection and morbidity rates in vaccinees and are, therefore, at risk of dramatically expediting selection and adaptation of new SC-2 immune escape variants that could enable a much more pathogenic course of C-19 disease in people whose protective innate immune capacity cannot adequately be trained as a result of vaccine-mediated immune priming.
https://www.voiceforscienceandsolidarity.org/scientific-blog/omicron-a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing
Hey, look at what Granite Grok has to say….
https://granitegrok.com/blog/2022/02/vermont-stupid
Too funny, because it’s true.
Somebody I know has to immediately jump in and defend him, the honor, the integrity…how dare they..
The so-called “Progressive” Left won’t give up masking without a fight. Like the German citizenry of the late 1930’s, the Left have been brainwashed and manipulated by the corporate media and have fully succumbed to Mass Formation Psychosis. Masks have now become a religious symbol to them. A way to virtue signal their status as true believers. Why else would someone wear a mask while walking outdoors or while sitting in a car all by themselves? It’s political theatre and nothing more.
Would that be 80% of actual living, breathing students or 80% of the student equivalents (the statistically manipulated number to make our yearly cost per student palatable to taxpayers)?
Genius
MASKS ARE NEITHER HARMLESS NOR EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING RESPIRATORY VIRUS TRANSMISSION!!!!!!
The solution to Covid-19 is early treatment with safe drugs and nutraceuticals. This solution, however, is a poke in the eye to huge pharma profits based on EUA for the vaccines, which EUA is in turn based on “no other treatment available.”
Not only should the Governor pull all mask mandates, but he should also stop encouraging children to get vaccinated.
This whole house of cards is about to fall. We’re getting data from DMED, the military’s database for morbidity and mortality, and this shows huge spikes in 2021. This is being analyzed as we speak. In addition, insurance companies are coming out with data showing huge spikes in mortality since the vaccine rollouts. Funeral directors are speaking up; embalmers are speaking up about huge and never-before seen clots present since the vaccine rollout. All of this will snowball.
The mainstream press will manage this by ignoring it. Knowing what’s coming up, perhaps this is why the authorities have decided there’s a need to label “false narratives” as threats to the US. Whoever “they” are, you can be sure they won’t go down without a fight. It’ll be an interesting 2022.
Defend free speech.
https://rumble.com/vv1adx-breaking-exclusive-former-blackrock-portfolio-manager-exposes-pfizer-fraud.html
There is a whole world outside of Vermont, outside of Vermont Digger and VPR….oh my the thought of it. And everything on facebook isn’t true either…
Here’s a good video for people to view about masks, children and this whole charade.
https://banned.video/watch?id=62047e3efe07d70484b88af9
I’m in one of the loudest echo chambers in the state, you can’t hear your self think…
https://generaldispatch.whatfinger.com/dr-peterson-pierre-vaxxed-kids-52-times-more-likely-to-die/
Here’s a second opinion.
Can you see how biased and censored our press is in Vermont, when people only have one source, or censored sources, don’t question and “know” they are right?
Heaven help our children.
We need to stop masking our children NOW before they develop permanent mental health issues like Representatives Rachelson and Colburn. They’re free to mask themselves and their children for the rest of their lives. Leave my children alone!
We elected a Governor to lead the state and make decisions for the good of the people
not follow some agenda-driven nonsense.
We have followed the ” data ” and the ” science “, not an agenda from the left, kids are
not in any jeopardy for not wearing a mask, Governor lift these crazy mask mandates in
our schools, let kids be kids !!!
Teachers can stay home, from what I have seen they are pretty useless in educating our
children, they surely know how to indoctrinate, what a shame, a once respectable career
has become nothing more than a pawn for liberal politics………….pathetic !!
There your children, not there’s…..Wake up, people !!
Sadly, woke school boards and superintendents will not comply. They know better and in one very well-known district, they immediately extended the mandate to the end of March. The Grand Wizard in charge of that district thinks white supremacy and covid fear are the most important things in education. Zero messaging and talk of learning and achievement. Then we have towns, also ignoring the governor and extending mask requirements in stores. All of this is very frustrating to those of us governed by logic and facts. Masking is the new virtue signal of the left unless, of course, they think no one is looking.
Or if they are speaking into a microphone.
Apparently, there’s the science- and according to Rep. Colburn of Burlington, there is a separate science that she others follow. Fascinating how one can generally determine another’s political and world view by the facial apparel worn- or not.
There will never be a way to adequately show the efficacy of masks on SARS-CoV-2 by infection rates. The statistics are to muddied. There is only the reality of micron size, virus vs. fabric, mask fit and wearing habits. In these 3 areas, masks clearly show there deficiencies.
Overwhelming majority of those in Vermont insisting on masking our children DON’T have children.
Go Scott, go
Show them who is boss.
These undemocratic, overreaching excesses deserve a VETO
The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, all paragons of SOCIALISM, have ZERO, NADA NIL mask requirements for ALL people indoors and outdoors.
THAT IS WHAT I CALL:
Equality, Freedom, Liberty
Sanity does exist in many places, but not yet in Vermont
Don’t be fooled, he’s still be doing it if he could get away with it.
Discussing with the White House, that should inform you of all you need to know.