Yesterday the Governor announced 2,843 new COVID infections. One of the highest days EVER, not just in the new wave.
Our hospitals are surging, emergency services are delayed, and school is just around the corner. The Governor reinstituted the COVID-19 "public health emergency" for 60 days and said he's reconvening the legislature for them to allow local K12 School Boards to require masks if they choose.
This is big news and we must work quickly before school starts.
Please take a moment to call your local and state elected officials to tell them you want them to repeal Act 1002 so that local schools can do what is needed to keep people safe.
Below are easy links, lists, and tips to help!
Call the Governor to say thank you for reinstating the public health emergency in Arkansas for the next 60 days (at least) and to please do more to protect students and teachers. Leadership matters in this moment, and we need him to LEAD.
Call the members of the Arkansas Legislature
Ask them to quickly find a solution that will protect unvaccinated students in school, repealing Act 1002 and returning local control to school districts will do this.
Remember, every one of these legislators ran campaigns on protecting Arkansas children; now is the time to protect kids from COVID infections, hospitalizations, and the ICU.
AND
THEN ...
Call your School District Superintendent (bit.ly/ARSchoolPersonnel) and School Board members - search online by googling "(your town) school board"
Tell them that you want a mask safety requirement in your local schools to protect our students and teachers alike.
And this goes beyond schools.
The Governor was very clear that he will not issue a statewide mask mandate and this is not what the special session is about. However, with the spread rate of the Delta variant, if our schools are impacted our local economies, healthcare facilities, and many, many Arkansas families will be impacted as well.
Keeping Arkansas kids safe keeps all of Arkansas safe!
Other things you can do:
Forward this email to others who are interested in school safety to contact these local leaders ASAP
Use the image below to help writing your message and to ask for support
You can send an email, text, message, or direct message on social media with the image and ask directly, "Have you emailed the school yet?" or "Have you called your elected officials yet?"
Help out teachers in your area with school supplies they still need - if you are online, search the hashtag #ClearTheLists and you'll find many teachers who have shared their online wishlist - you can often purchase online and it ships directly to their classroom so you never have to leave your home
If you haven't considered running for office or asking others to do so yet, this may be the push for many. Get ready to run for office in 2022!
Let us know how we can help.
