Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia, Stacey Abrams, apologized Tuesday for not wearing a mask when she posed for photographs with masked school children last week, following a barrage of criticism.
Abrams was photographed without a mask amid students at Glennwood Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia, who were all wearing masks. The photos caused backlash among critics who accused Abrams of being hypocritical as she has been a strong supporter of COVID-19 restrictions.
“I approached the podium with my mask on. I followed the protocols,” Abrams said during an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett. “I told the kids, ‘I’m taking my mask off because I’m reading to kids who are listening remotely as well.'”
She visited the school to participate in their third annual African American read-in, Fox News reported.
“Protocols matter, and protecting our kids is the most important thing, and anything that can be perceived as undermining that is a mistake, and I apologize,” Abrams said. (RELATED: California Gov. Newsom, Mayors Caught Maskless With Magic Johnson At Rams Game).
The initial photos that caused the backlash have since been removed from Abrams’ and the school principal’s social media feeds. A spokesperson for Abrams’ campaign said that she only took the mask off to be heard by students watching from afar and for a few photos on the condition that everyone else in the room wore masks, according to Fox News. More photos of her without a mask at the school have surfaced, casting doubt on that assertion.