LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf on Tuesday said her office will not authorize any arrests, criminal citations, or any criminal consequences for any parents in the county that do not comply with state masking mandates in schools.
Graf said the masking mandate came from Governor Tom Wolf, who she accused of going back on previous promises to leave masking decisions up to the Commonwealth's individual school districts.
When he announced the order last week with acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Alison Beam, Wolf said the mandate came from the Department of Health, not from him.
In an open letter issued Tuesday, Graf placed the blame at the governor's feet.
"Last week, Governor Wolf issued yet another mandate," Graf's letter begins. "His orders require all children in school, regardless of whether it is a public or private entity, wear masks. This latest edict was a bit of a surprise, given his prior promise(s) to leave decisions on masks up to the individual districts themselves."
Graf said her office has received numerous inquiries from parents, who she said are "frustrated, confused, and scared of possible criminal consequences if they refuse compliance with our governor and his list of ever-changing rules."
"Our parents deserve the respect to raise their children and make decisions as they believe best," Graf's letter said. "Our schools deserve the respect to function as they believe appropriate for their districts and most importantly their families."