Renacci Calls For School Mask Mandate Opt-Out, Plans Executive Order As Governor

"Keeping our schools OPEN and giving our kids the chance to see their friends' and teachers' smiling faces again will be my top priority, regardless of what school district you are in!"

Jim Renacci announced today he is planning to sign an executive order on his first day as governor of Ohio giving parents and students the power to opt out of school mask mandates:

• Mike DeWine has been a vocal supporter of mask mandates in schools and continues to demand schools put them in place.
  
  
• According to government data, nearly one third of Ohio school districts had universal mask mandates in place as of last week. In November, that number was 61%.
  
  
• Jim Renacci has been a consistent opponent of school mask mandates and made headlines last month for describing masking children as 'child abuse.'

Jim Renacci issued the following statement:

"On my first day as Governor, I will sign an executive order that gives ALL parents and children the option to OPT OUT of their school's mask mandate and I will work with the legislature to codify it into law. Our kids have suffered enough from this abuse, but it's increasingly clear that many school boards across Ohio have zero interest in ending these draconian and anti-science mandates anytime soon. On-again, off-again masking policies are not tenable and create a climate that is conducive to fear, not learning. Mike DeWine and school board bureaucrats may not be listening to parents, but I am. As Governor, keeping our schools OPEN and giving our kids the chance to see their friends' and teachers' smiling faces again will be my top priority, regardless of what school district you are in!"