Sen. Marsha Blackburn: WCS mask decision 'will have grave consequences'

Following the chaotic Williamson County School Board meeting on Tuesday that saw board members vote to require masks for elementary school students through at least Sept. 21, Sen. Marsha Blackburn weighed in on the debate on social media, and called the board's decision to require masks "detrimental to [children's] well-being."

Aug. 10 school board meeting

The only item on the agenda for the Aug. 10 special-called meeting of the Williamson County School Board was a resolution that would mandate masks for all students K-5.

With the subject of mask mandates being a divisive topic in both Williamson County and the country at large, the meeting saw a number of eruptions from an angry and unruly crowd, concluding with anti-mask demonstrators hurling apparent threats at a Nashville pediatrician, shouting things such as "we will find you" and "you will never be allowed in public again!"

The school board voted 7-3 to approve the temporary mask mandate for elementary school students.

"Masks do not make sense for children"

Less than an hour after the meeting had concluded, Blackburn took to twitter to condemn the decision of the Williamson County School Board.

"Forcing children to wear masks will be detrimental to their well-being," Blackburn wrote. "Masks do not make sense for children and the school board’s decision will have grave consequences."

The Centers for Disease Control has recommended universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.

As recently as Jul. 29, Blackburn took her case against mask mandates to the Senate floor, alleging such mandates to be more about perpetuating lockdowns than about masks themselves. In her Jul. 29 speech on the Senate floor, Blackburn also argued there to be "no evidence to suggest face on masking is going to keep people healthier."