Senator Becca Rausch: Our Public Health Victory

View this email in your browser  https://mailchi.mp/562f0db507e7/reopeningupdate-14805612?e=0c2c9810fe Dear friends,    Greetings from Beacon Hill! I hope all of you are enjoying the final days of summer and gearing up for heading back to school in just a couple of weeks.    Throughout this pandemic, I have been leading the fight to protect our communities' health and well-being. Most recently, I've been laser focused on ensuring our children and teachers can return to classrooms safely this year. Time and again, Governor Baker and his administration rejected the scientific evidence and data-driven recommendations to mask up everyone age 2+ in schools. Thousands of you engaged by sending me emails, posting to social media, signing an open letter petition to the Governor, and contacting your friends, family, and neighbors to join us.    And it worked.    Earlier today, thanks to your advocacy, the Board of Education authorized universal indoor masking in K-12 schools all across the Commonwealth until at least October 1. Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, school committee member, public health expert, or advocate -- this victory belongs to you.     Our fight for science and safety is not over, of course. This mask mandate is the floor, not the ceiling. It does not apply to childcare, nor does it does not set up middle and high schools for success after October 1, according to some experts. I am grateful to know that we are in this together.    My goal throughout this fight has always been to give our children the safe, supportive, and successful school year they deserve. We can only achieve that through statewide data-driven public health measures, such as the one approved today.  Let's celebrate, and let's keep going.     Yours in service,  Senator Becca Rausch  Our mailing address is: The Office of Senator Becca Rausch Massachusetts State House, Room 218 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133