Thwarting GOP Governors

For John, BLUF:  In what looks like another attempt to erase the concept of Federalism the Biden Administration Department of Education is suing several states over prohibition of mask mandates.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Biden administration opens civil rights investigations over bans on school mask mandates

From The Wash Post, by Reporter Laura Meckler, 30 August 2021, 1:17 PM.

Here is the lede plus two:

The Education Department opened civil rights investigations Monday into five states for policies banning school districts from requiring masks, upping the Biden administration’s battle with Republican governors over pandemic policies for schools.

The letters were sent to officials in Iowa, South Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma and Tennessee, all of which bar local districts from mandating masks.  The letters allege that these states may be preventing districts from meeting the needs of students with disabilities who are at heightened risk for severe illness should they contract the coronavirus.

The move follows up on President Biden’s promise earlier this month that the Education Department would use its authority to try to stop states from interfering with school districts that want to require masks.  Governors argue that masking should be a personal choice for parents and families, and over the last few weeks, the disputes have reflected the larger national pandemic debate over personal freedom vs. public health.

Does this qualify as Lawfare?  Could meet the definition.  And it makes the Administration look petty.

This effort seems to turn the terms personal freedom and public health on their head.  It is further complicated by rumors of the CDC being about to announce the end of mask mandate recommendations, the findings that most common masks are 10% effective and the recent finding that plexiglass barriers, the ones we see at service counters, may actually make things worse.

Is this really about Social Control?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff