Teachers to bully pupils over COVID

Teachers in several Virginia school districts threaten to bully their pupils who come to school or class without a mask. When they do that, they let their unreasoning fear of what is now no worse than a nasty cold, impel them to abandon, and even work against, their educational mission.

Governor and school districts push back and forth

The confrontation dates back to the first day in office for Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.). On that first day he issued nine executive orders and two executive directives. The most relevant executive order is his second. In it he declares that parents and only parents should decide whether their children need wear a mask to school.

Several school districts announced that they would dispute Youngkin’s authority and orders on this. They include:

• Arlington County
• Alexandria
• Fairfax County
• Loudoun County
• Prince William County
• Henrico County
• City of Richmond

In response, Gov. Youngkin said he would consider “all options.” One option he definitely has, is the withholding of State funds for certain programs.

As it turns out, Jen Psaki – yes, that Jen Psaki – is a parent in Arlington County. So on her personal Twitter account (not her @PressSec account), she said this:

Of course what she ignores is that the order does not forbid a pupil to wear a mask indoors. (Though actually, State law in Virginia does say that no one may wear a mask outdoors unless they are in a non-public space and the owner of that space gives written permission to do so.)

But that doesn’t seem to matter. Like all Democrats, she wants to force all others to wear masks in her presence.

What teachers have to say

But what Jen Psaki says, on her private account, is merely of a piece with her working for this administration. The more disturbing element is what some teachers in some of these districts threaten to do.

The Washington Free Beacon and The Republican Standard have texts and images of several disturbing posts from teachers. Here’s one from Heather Lynn Reilly Osial from Prince William County, as it appeared on Facebook:

Kids will not be allowed in mine [sic] class without a mask. No mask, no entry. If my boss has a problem with that, then she has a choice. Either she wants me there or not. If she doesn’t care, I’ll take leave.

Whoa. A direct threat, not only to pupils, but to her superiors. She later protested in the comment space that the Free Beacon had taken her post out of context. CNAV can only assume that she deleted the post later. So now it’s a matter of they said, she said.

Cattle prods and cellophane isolation

Julie L. Lawther in Fairfax County tweeted an image of her desk – after she swathed it in cellophane. The image of her tweet has her saying this:

FWIW—If they aren’t willing to mask, I’m not coming out from my soon to be upgraded isolation bubble. No mask? You’re on your own… Good luck!

Excuse me? And then someone else asks,

Are we allowed to tell unmasked kids to keep distance from us? Or will we get in[to] trouble?

This evidently after Ms. Lawler tweeted this – and CNAV kids you not:

I’m getting a cattle prod.

She’s what!? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! How dare she say a thing like that even in jest? CNAV can well believe she deleted that tweet.

From Loudoun County (yes, that Loudoun County):

I am not going any closer than six feet from an unmasked student. If they want to talk to me, they’ll need to put a mask on. No job is worth my severely at-risk family’s health.

Well, as a taxpayer in Hanover County, your editor would tell such a teacher good riddance.

Or how about this from Arlington:

If a child comes into my room without a mask on, they will be asked to sit out in the hallway and do their work. I dare anyone [to] say anything to me.

Oh, yeah!? This taxpayer will take that dare.

These teachers need to get up to date

Yes, indeed, these teachers need to bring themselves and their narratives up to date. The COVID narrative is unraveling. Her Majesty’s Loyal Subjects are already phasing out their particular madness.

In large part we have Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., the Capo di Tutti Capi – Chief of All Chiefs – of Staff at all American hospitals, to thank for turning our society into a society of malingerers. But that doesn’t excuse these teachers. Teachers, by the very nature of their profession, should know better. Some of these same teachers insist that parents ought not try to teach their own children without going to Teacher Prep programs in college first. And then they disgrace themselves and their profession by making threats like these.

CNAV recommends that parents continue to move toward homeschooling, as many did when the schools closed. Statements like these give parents all the justification they need. And if they can’t afford that, then they should move. Let them move out of Henrico County and City of Richmond, to Hanover County, or maybe Chesterfield. Likewise let them move out of Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William.

Virginia has just become a battleground. Its new Governor must do battle with the worms in the apples.