The governor of Kentucky is doubling down on a statewide mask mandate that requires students and staff to wear face coverings in school buildings.
After signing an executive order requiring anyone inside a public K-12 school to wear a mask, regardless of their vaccination status, Governor Andy Beshear said any local education official choosing to defy the masking requirements will be "held accountable" if their students or staff get infected.
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"Those that are trying to find a way out, just remember you're facing the same COVID as everybody else," Beshear said at a news conference. "When someone gets hurt, and they will, if you're refusing to do the right thing, good luck... you'll be held accountable."
Beshear did not elaborate on what potential consequences could be in store for violators.
The Democratic governor issued the emergency regulation on Tuesday after some school districts left parents to decide whether or not their children should wear masks. He said it's necessary to prevent an outbreak that could close schools.
Beshear pointed to Kentucky's surging number of new coronavirus cases which reached nearly 3,000 on Thursday, up from 200 a month ago. He said without masks, children who are too young to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are defenseless.
Beshear's mask mandate is supported by the Kentucky Board of Education. Meantime, it is being challenged by Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who called the order an "unlawful exercise of power."
The mask order runs for at least 30 days and could possibly be extended based on guidance from public health officials.
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