Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:37 pm
President Biden has set the stage to take legal action against anti-mask Republican governors for violating the civil rights of students.
Sec. of Education Miguel Cardona explained in a blog post:
I want to emphasize this Department’s commitment to protecting the rights of every student in the nation. The Department has the authority to investigate any state educational agency whose policies or actions may infringe on the rights of every student to access public education equally.
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For example, the Department may initiate a directed investigation if facts indicate a potential violation of the rights of students as a result of state policies and actions. The Department will also receive and respond as appropriate to complaints from the public, including parents, guardians, and others about studentswho may experience discrimination as a result of states not allowing local school districts to reduce virus transmission risk through masking requirements and other mitigation measures. As always, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights evaluates allegations of discrimination on a case-by-case basis, looking at the specific facts of each case.
Republican Governors Who Impose Anti-Mask Laws Are Violating The Civil Rights Of Disabled Students
Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) said in a statement provided to PolitcusUSA, “I’m thrilled to see President Biden answering our call, ordering the U.S. Department of Education to investigate Florida’s abuses of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504, and to take action if the state’s actions put children with disabilities at risk.”
Ron DeSantis and other anti-mask Republican governors are putting the lives of disabled students who have respiratory or immune system issues at risk with their partisan war on masks in schools.
President Biden already threatened the Republican governors with legal action, and now he is making sure that the federal government will step in and protect students’ civil rights.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
