24 superintendents from Los Angeles County school districts signed a letter requesting that Barbara Ferrer, Public Health Director, ease her burdensome COVID mask policies. They also requested that they be aligned with California’s state guidelines. Ferrer is known for overseeing one of the most strict pandemic regimes in America. She was even pushing to force masking in schools last month. After public outcry and exposure to many scandals within her department, she only relented.
Ferrer’s decisions are very important as the County Department of Public Health oversees over 10 million people. The unelected bureaucrat did not need a new mandate. However, she made a small back alley to ensure that as many children as possible were masked. Anyone who was notified they had been in close contact with someone who tested positive for HIV would be subject to a 10-day indoor masking requirement. She means that she has been in the same indoor space for more than 15 minutes within a 24-hour period.
One kindergartener can test positive using an oh-so-reliable home test. The whole class must wear a mask for 10 days as they are “close contacts”. This is especially true during the heat wave. Julie Hamill (a school board candidate) and the lawyer who is suing to end LA mask mandates shared the good news via Twitter.
Superintendents from 24 LA County school districts sent a letter to @lapublichealth today asking the County to align its guidance with the state and eliminate the 10-day mask mandate. THANK YOU to all of the superintendents listed in this letter. pic.twitter.com/HDv7B2VtMj
— Julie Hamill (@hamill_law) September 6, 2022
These supervisors are tired of being the masked police. Let Ferrer and her five supposed bosses on the Board of Supervisors know. They wrote (all in bold):
Los Angeles County schools and districts must comply with health and safety guidelines as Covid enters an endemic phase. The LA DPH has repeatedly stated over the past year that their covid policies will be fully aligned with the State.
The current LA DPH health order regarding indoor masking for school districts is not in line with the State’s and is much more restrictive than the State’s.
They then go on to discuss the differences between county and state guidance, providing links and examples to support their claims. They conclude by stating their intentions:
The following Los Angeles County school superintendents request that LA DPH align with California’s policy of indoor masking of close contacts for a 10-day period.
Ferrer is humiliated by the language, even though it might not seem so dramatic. It is not a good image to have a third of the county’s supervisors openly question your leadership. Ferrer is due to be rebuked, especially since over 500 parents (full disclosure: one of them was my spouse) took the time and made public comments about her ridiculous rule. She reacted with disgust.
“… lots of parents are obviously comfortable w/ this guidance”
On behalf of 500+ parents who shared their opposition w @LACountyBOS about 10day close contact masking policy – more strict than @CAPublicHealth @CDCgov I asked @lapublichealth what’s your message to those parents? pic.twitter.com/hTdS1dQuRO
— MarlaTellez (@MarlaTellez) September 2, 2022
Even Covidians who are committed to the cause of pandemics admit that their children have been the worst affected. They want Ferrer and her LADPH back to grading restaurants’ bathrooms. She can continue testing pets for COVID until then.
