Ireland’s Department Of Education has rolled back on a controversial instruction to schools last week that would have seen children refused entry to classes if they refused to wear a facemask without a medical reason.
According to Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ:
In fresh guidance sent this morning, the department has told schools that “it is not intended that any child will be excluded from a school in the first instance”.
There was outcry last week after primary schools were directed in a memo sent late on Tuesday to refuse entry to older pupils who presented without masks.
Schools were initially told the instruction applied from Wednesday morning. However later the department clarified that “flexibility” would be allowed during the first couple of days.
Many schools viewed the instruction to turn children away as highly inflammatory, and said they would not implement it.
While a spokesperson for the department said that last week’s direction has not been rescinded, there is no mention in today’s more detailed document of excluding a child.
Today’s document takes the form of Frequently Asked Questions. It states that where a child presents without a face mask or covering, “schools will engage pragmatically and sensitively with parents” and that where such engagement fails the Department of Education will provide further support.
It says “every effort should be made to clearly communicate the public health reasons behind the wearing of a face mask” and that “a solution focused engagement between the school and the child’s parents or guardians should take place with a view to resolving issues”.
Of course, there are no legitimate public health reasons for mandating masks for children or anyone else. Governments ae waging psychological warfare on children. It’s abominable.
