Even in red states, colleges gravitate to requiring vaccines and masks

[marmar]

As students head to college this fall, hundreds of schools are requiring employees and students to be vaccinated against covid, wear masks on campus or both.

But at some schools, partisan politics have bolstered efforts to stymie public health protections.

Events at the University of South Carolina, in a deeply conservative state, demonstrate the limits of political pressure in some cases, even though "South Carolina is a red state and its voters generally eschew mandates," said Jeffrey Stensland, a spokesperson for the school.

....(snip)....

But state Attorney General Alan Wilson weighed in early in August, sending a letter to the school's interim president, Harris Pastides, that a budget provision passed by the state legislature prohibited the university from imposing a mask mandate. Pastides, who previously served as dean of the university's school of public health, rescinded the mask mandate, although he encouraged people to still use them.

....(snip)....

Creswick and Eslinger, who felt strongly that the mask mandate was indeed about health, filed a lawsuit, arguing that the legislative provision cited by the attorney general did not prohibit a universal mask mandate. The state Supreme Court took up the case on an expedited basis and on Aug. 20 ruled 6-0 in their favor. ............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/09/10/even-in-red-states-colleges-gravitate-to-requiring-vaccines-and-masks_partner/

[Lovie777]

1. There are several things that the present republicans worship . ..

and it ain't caring about the fellow human being.

Profits, money, power, and inorder to kept these, they must do evil things. That said, ya would think keeping their people sorta healthy but no, their greed consumes them while wrapping themselves in the American flag and holding a Bible.

[Tree-Hugger]

2. I needed a vaccine for college

Back in 2000 - I was not alllwed to be admitted into the Veterinary Technology degree program unless I received my Rabies series as well as presented proof of regular vaccines.