K-12 students and teachers in Utah could be accused of a crime for not wearing a mask because they return to classrooms amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple reports.
Gov Herbert’s office confirmed the potential punishment this week. While Utah does not have a state mask mandate, it issued a mandate in July requiring all students, teachers, staff and visitors to wear face masks on school property and buses.
Leaders of schools and charters can decide whether to seek charges, a Salt Lake Tribune spokeswoman said.
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Students raise their hands while a teacher wears a protective mask during a lesson at a public charter school in Provo, Utah, US, August 20, 2020. (Getty Images)
“It is maintained at a district and superintendent level,” said Anna Lehnardt, director of communications for Herbert. “But we do not think, ‘Let’s hit a bunch of kids with crimes.'”
The charge for those who call the order would be a Class B offense, punishable by up to six months in prison and a $ 1,000 fine, according to the Utah Judiciary.
Lehnardt added the primary goal was to keep teachers safe when they return to classrooms during the coronavirus pandemic.
A Tribune report this week found that 79 teachers had been fired because of concerns about the virus spreading in schools in Utah.
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Still, some parents see charging students as a way to protect others is a step too far. The mother of a high school community in Cache County, north of Salt Lake City, asked the question why her children should be punished for what they considered to be a personal choice, according to the Tribune.
“Our children should not have any criminal consequences for getting an education,” Angie Martin said at a legislative meeting Wednesday.
Another mother in Utah said parents of students should be accused of the abuse, not young children.
Meanwhile, Herbert, a Republican, on Thursday declared a new state of emergency after Utah lawmakers refused to extend the deadlines. He said the decision was made to prevent the state from losing access to hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid, while allowing faster responses to COVID-19-related problems.
Because of teachers’ concerns about the lack of PPE equipment, Herbert added that the state’s unified command team has decided to provide five KN95 masks and two face shields to every teacher and staff in the state, “in addition to existing offer. “
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“The nature of a pandemic is fluid and requires constant adjustment,” he wrote on Twitter. “We are still very much in an emergency situation, and I will continue to work as a mayor to protect lives and livelihoods.”
As of Friday morning, Utah has reported more than 47,982 confirmed cases of coronavirus and at least 381 deaths from the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
