The House approves legislation protecting public and private schools from civil suits by students or teachers who say they got COVID on school grounds.
Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says a school board superintendent told him this bill was vital to actually having students back in classrooms come fall.
“I got the impression that without this bill they are going to question whether they should go back to face to face learning or continue with distance learning,” said Bacala
The vote was 82-17 and still needs Senate approval.
But New Orleans Representative Gary Carter feels the legislation would allow schools to violate COVID health regulations and be shielded from repercussions.
“This legislation reduces the protection of our children for the benefit of our schools and I think that it should be the other way around we need to be fighting for the benefit of the students and not the schools,” says Carter.
Supporters of the bill say it still allows for suits in cases of demonstrable gross negligence.
But bill sponsor, Denham Springs Representative Buddy Mincey contends it’s needed because it’s impossible to prove exactly where students or teachers get their COVID infections.
“There are so many opportunities they go to playgrounds on the weekends, and we see all of the family outings are increasing, how do we know it was not done there?” says Mincey, a former school board member.
The bill is retroactive to March 11th and applies to all K-12, charter, and public and private schools along with all public and private colleges and universities.
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