SC Democrats, Black Caucus call for special session to undo school mask mandate ban
South Carolina’s Democratic House and Senate members continued their call Tuesday for a special legislative session to repeal a provision aimed at banning mask mandates in schools as COVID-19 cases in the state spike.
“We are seeing what happens when unvaccinated and unmasked children are put into a classroom setting together over the last couple of weeks,” state Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun, the House’s assistant minority leader, said at a State House press conference.
At the press conference, where Richland 1 School Board members attended and every speaker wore a mask, lawmakers said not being able to mandate masks in schools is putting people at risk for catching and spreading COVID-19.
“Schools are forced to either close or move to a virtual setting. Children under 12 cannot be vaccinated now, the mask is the only form of protection,” Ott added.
This year, the Legislature included in the state budget a one-year measure prohibiting school districts from using state money to enforce mask mandates. Proponents of the measure — known as a proviso — say it bans mask mandates in schools. The list includes Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has said mask mandates violate the state law.
But opponents say school districts can use other resources to institute masks mandates.
The Columbia City and Richland County councils have passed local ordinances to mandate masks in elementary and middle schools.
“We must do the right thing. Getting kids back in the classroom should ... never be based on politics. Instead, our politics should be based on public health,” said state Rep. Patricia Henegan, D-Malboro, chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus. “It appears we are playing politics with science. Science tells us we’re are still in the middle of a pandemic and that we should wear masks and social distance as much as possible.”
Calls for a special session became bipartisan Monday night when Senate Judiciary Chairman Luke Rankin, R-Horry, and state Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, joined Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, and Assistant Minority Leader Ronnie Sabb, D-Williamsburg in a letter to Senate President Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, asking for the chamber to reconvene to address the issue.
Whether the Legislature returns for a special session will be up to Peeler and House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, to call their respective chambers back. McMaster, however, told reporters Tuesday it wasn’t necessary.
“I don’t think it’s necessary” for the Legislature to come back and repeal the school mask budget proviso, McMaster said.
Instead, he advised unvaccinated South Carolinians, particularly adults, to get the vaccine and said parents should be the ones to decide whether their child should be masked.
