Governor Glenn Youngkin wasted no time after his inauguration on Saturday, issuing several executive actions that fulfilled several of his campaign promises.
One of which was Executive Order #2-2022 “Order of Public Health Emergency One” reaffirms the right of parents in the upbringing, education and care of their children.
The directive defines the priority of children’s health in Virginia but reason’s that recent mask mandates have proven ineffective and impractical, therefore the directive rescinds previous orders established by Governor Ralph Northam requiring masks mandates in schools.
The new directive gives parents the power to choose if their child wears a mask to school or not and requires no need for parents to justify their decision.
It was expected that local school boards would decide what was best for their school systems.
In Colonial Beach with short notice the school system has issued the following statement.
Dear Colonial Beach Families,In response to Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order Number 2, effective January 24, Colonial Beach Public Schools will continue to follow the masking policy set in place on August 9, 2021.
This policy states: If Westmoreland County is designated by the CDC as experiencing “Substantial” community transmission, CBPS will mandate mask-wearing for all students, staff, and visitors. The mask mandate will only be initiated for the duration of the substantial community transmission period. When the mask mandate is initiated or lifted, the school community will be notified via our school division webpage, instant alerts, and our social media platform.
Due to the federal mandate for masking to occur when using or operating public transportation, students and staff will be required to wear a mask when operating or when being transported by Colonial Beach Public Schools. We will continue to keep you informed of any changes that may occur, and encourage you to reach out with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,Karen Camlin
It’s too soon to tell if new guidelines will be established and voted on by the school board.
Colonial Beach News 
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