White House press secretary Jen Psaki was criticized Sunday on Twitter for cheering on schools that plan to ignore Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order allowing parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks in schools.
Psaki shared a video on Twitter of Youngkin responding to a question about the executive order after the Arlington Public School district said it would maintain a mask requirement for students and staff. Psaki reacted to the video, saying in part, “Thank you to @APSVirginia for standing up for our kids, teachers, and administrators and their safety in the midst of a transmissible variant.”
Hi there. Arlington county parent here (don’t believe you are @GlennYoungkin but correct me if I am wrong). Thank you to @APSVirginia for standing up for our kids, teachers and administrators and their safety in the midst of a transmissible variant. https://t.co/6UeNIYoZCU
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) January 17, 2022
Her comments drew the ire of many political commentators on Twitter. (RELATED: Sunny Hostin Says White Women Voted For Youngkin So They Could Pretend Slavery Didn’t Happen)
Mollie Hemingway, senior editor at The Federalist, tweeted, “Jen, if for some reason you want to mask your children, you are still free to do so. This isn’t a ban on masks, this is a ban on *forced masking* of children against other parents’ wishes.”
Jen, if for some reason you want to mask your children, you are still free to do so. This isn’t a ban on masks, this is a ban on *forced masking* of children against other parents’ wishes.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 17, 2022
“Even Psaki knows better than to move to DC under her party,” Jack Posobiec said.
Even Psaki knows better than to move to DC under her party
— Jacek Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 17, 2022
Former National Republican Senatorial Committee adviser Matt Whitlock said, “Everyone who wants to wear masks is free to.”
Everyone who wants to wear masks is free to
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) January 17, 2022
“Concerned parent who does press briefing daily without a mask on, breathing heavily transmissible virus into the open air wants forced masking on kids? Weird,” musician Five Times August said. “I should NEVER see you without a mask. EVER.”
Concerned parent who does press briefing daily without a mask on, breathing heavily transmissible virus into the open air wants forced masking on kids? Weird. I should NEVER see you without a mask. EVER. pic.twitter.com/Oo0dUaLsqM
— Five Times August (@FiveTimesAugust) January 17, 2022
In addition, radio show host Tony Bruno tweeted the now-famous photo of Psaki wearing a Russian hat with a hammer and sickle.
— Tony FJB Bruno (@TonyBrunoShow) January 17, 2022
Youngkin was sworn in Saturday as the governor of Virginia and issued 11 executive orders within hours of taking office. Those executive orders included one that allows parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks in schools and one that bans Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools, according to a press release posted on the governor’s website.