63 Louisiana House members ask state school board to sidestep K-12 schools mask mandate

Sixty-three House members signed a letter asking the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to direct local K-12 school districts to adopt their own mask protocols — in defiance of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ statewide mask mandate.

All 63 House members who signed the letter are Republicans. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-French Settlement, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Tanner Magee, R-Houma, were among them.

The letter, dated Aug. 16, states that Louisiana’s constitution “provides that BESE shall supervise and control the public elementary and secondary schools and special schools under its jurisdiction.”

“Please use this authority to act on behalf of parents and local school leaders, just as your Board agreed to do earlier in the pandemic,” the letter reads. “BESE can establish a position that gives direction to each school board based on local health risks.”

A smaller group of House members and Senate leaders sent letters to the governor last week, asking him to rescind his mask mandate as it applies to schools.

Edwards was previously in favor of allowing each school district to set its own pandemic protocols, but surging coronavirus hospitalizations coupled with pleading from the state’s healthcare community prompted him to issue the statewide mask mandate on Aug. 2, he said.