The Loudoun County School District - which has been plagued by scandal after scandal over critical race theory-inspired 'equity' lessons and transgender issues - is now at the center of fresh wave of controversy after schools prevented pupils from going into their classrooms if they were not wearing a facemask on Monday.
Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin had signed an executive action within hours of him taking office on January that aimed to let parents opt out of school mask mandates.
The order was supposed to take effect on Monday but confusion has swirled over the implications since then.
His instructions were either interpreted differently by some districts or plainly ignored with schools continuing to keep pre-existing mask mandates in place for students.
Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order within hours of entering office rescinding mask mandates for schools from Monday, but it appears the policy has been met with confusion
Republican J.P. Freire, Director of Communications on the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means tweeted that children were being 'punished' and kept outside classrooms or teaching
Freire quickly followed up with a second tweet and a link to a local news report after being contacted by people expressing disbelief that children might be barred from lessons
Some districts interpreted the order as being at odds with a state law that deals with COVID-19 mitigation in schools.
The first sign something was amiss came as Republican J.P. Freire, Director of Communications on the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means tweeted that children were being 'punished.'
'Just got a heads up that Loudoun County Schools are punishing kids who don't wear masks by putting them in the equivalent of a rubber room without access to instruction. Teachers insisting kids wear masks regardless of the Governor's order and saying wait until SCOTUS decision.'
He quickly followed up with a second tweet and a link to a local news report after being contacted by people expressing disbelief that children might be barred from lessons.
'A lot of folks replying that this can't possibly be true—likely because it seems so unreasonable and ridiculous.'
One Twitter user referenced a local news report detailing how students at one Loudoun County Public school would be removed from class if they didn't wear a face mask
Students are pictured walking into school on Monday without masks at Woodgrove High School
Loudoun County school district spokesperson Wayde Byard said no students were sent home on Monday morning for defying the mask order.
Those who refused to wear masks were routed to school auditoriums where they could do virtual work through the school's online platform, he said.
Lunch periods were adjusted to ensure maskless students would receive lunch, he explained.
in Purcellville, Virginia, northwest of Washington D.C., about 30 students out of more than 1,400 refused to wear masks.
They were seen entering their school chanting 'no mask Monday!'
About dozen parents outside Woodgrove High School cheered them on.
Four or five parents opted to pull their children. The rest stayed at the school, isolated from masked peers.
He said there were angry parents at a few schools, but principals defused the situations.
'It was pretty much a non-event,' Byard said.
Principal William Shipp said any student who did not wear a mask would be taken out of class and put in the school's auditorium for virtual learning.
'You will not be able to go out into the rest of the building if you do not have a mask on,' Shipp said.
'We wanted our kids to have that choice,' one mother told WTOP. 'And we fully support those that feel safest in a mask, also those that feel that the mask is impeding their learning or their health. So we're just out here in support of their decision and their choice.'
Students walked out of Loudoun County public schools on Tuesday in protest against the county's handling of a rape allegation after a judge found the boy accused guilty
Parents said they were simply following the executive order from the governor.
'We followed (former Gov.) Northam and his executive orders,' said another parent.
'Nobody retaliated; nobody rose up. We followed it because we are law-abiding citizens and we're doing the same thing now. We're following the new governor's orders. You cannot pick and choose because of the letter behind the governor's name. And I feel like that's what (Loudoun County Superintendent Scott) Ziegler and the school board are doing.'
One mother in Loudoun County sobbed as she explained on a radio show how when her son went to school without a mask on, he was 'strong armed and intimidated by his principal.'
'We've just gotten to a point which is - unbelievable what they're doing to our kids, They wont let my son go to his classroom because he won't wear a mask, because he's exercising his rights, and they're forcing him to sit in the office. He's been strong armed and intimidated by his principal and many others,' said Loudoun County mother Megan Rafalski to WMAL.
One mother in Loudoun County sobbed as she explained on a radio show how when her son went to school without a mask on, he was 'strong armed and intimidated by his principal.'
He has a friend and they're sticking together and they're trying to stand up for their rights. But we are not getting any answers. I tried to call the administrative office. The principal made us stand outside in the freezing cold all morning, since 7:30am.
'All we wanted is for our kids to be able to go to class with their peers and have fun and smile and learn. And I don't know where else to turn at this point, other than to plead with people out there to stand up, because this is going to continue until we stand together and we start to make change,' Rafalski continued.
Elicia Brand, a Loudoun County parent and co-founder of Army of Parents, a Virginia-based grassroots organization, opposes the mask mandates but said she is understanding for now of the fact that Youngkin advised parents to listen to local principals.
'We will hold him accountable to have our backs,'
