Kemp Files 'Unmask' Act To Prevent School Mask Mandates For Students

ATLANTA, GA – Georgia State Sen. Clint Dixon on Monday unmasked the legislation intended to prevent schools from imposing mask mandates on students.

Dixon, the Gwinnett County Republican and Gov. Brian Kemp’s Senate floor leader, introduced the bill called the “Unmask Georgia Students Act” to give parents the last word in whether their children should be required to wear a mask to class.

"Parents know how best to care for their children, and that includes when it comes masking," Kemp said. "While some districts continue to ignore the science and force their students to remain masked throughout the school day, the 'Unmask Georgia Students Act' ensures parents have the final say. As we enter the third year of facing COVID-19, it is past time for a return to normal and for decisions regarding protection against the virus to be made by individual Georgians and their families - not the government."

If passed the bill will prohibit local school districts, school boards or leaders from mandating mask-wearing on any school grounds without offering parents the option to opt-out of the face covering. The measure also seeks to prevent schools from imposing punishment on students whose parents chose the opt-out clause.

“Parents are the best decision-makers when it comes to the health and education of their children,” Dixon said. “This legislation ensures that those rights are not infringed on by misguided policies."

The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal indoor masking by all students ages 2 and up regardless of vaccination status, in addition to social distancing, hand washing, staying home and getting tested when sick, contact tracing in compliance with isolation or quarantining, and cleaning and disinfecting.