August 16, 2021 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education 1201 North Third Street Suite 5-190 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 Dear BESE Members, We are writing on behalf of frustrated parents, grandparents, and guardians across the state regarding the most recent proclamation issued by Governor Edwards on August 2, 2021 mandating masks across the state, including in K-12 schools. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education should consider the questions raised by parents concerning the constitutional rights of students. Louisiana Constitution Article 8, Section 3(A) provides that BESE shall supervise and control the public elementary and secondary schools and special schools under its jurisdiction. In addition, in the absence of any specific legislative intent to the contrary, BESE may, if it chooses, adopt rules governing COVID-19 safety protocols, such as temperature checks, the option of mask mandates or exceptions to mask mandates, and other protocols that BESE determines are needed. Please use this authority to act on behalf of parents and local school leaders, just as your Board agreed to do earlier in the pandemic. BESE can establish a position that gives direction to each school board based on local health risks. On behalf of parents across our districts, we stand united for BESE control and respect for parental rights in these matters. Our schools did well last year when the state provided the direction and resources required to manage their affairs. These local education leaders are ready to move forward at your direction to deliver continued success and safety for their students. Please use your Constitutional authority to protect Louisiana families and give direction to our local school boards and its parents. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to our urgent request. Humbly, Page 1 of 4 Mark Wright Clay Schexnayder Tanner Magee State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 77 House District 81 House District 53 Blake Miguez Stuart Bishop Jerome Zeringue State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 49 House District 43 House District 52 Larry Bagley Jean-Paul Coussan Paula Davis State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 7 House District 45 House District 69 Lance Harris Mike Huval Jack McFarland State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 25 House District 46 House District 13 Greg Miller John Stefanski Beryl Amedée State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 56 House District 42 House District 51 Tony Bacala Beau Beaullieu Ryan Bourriaque State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 59 House District 48 House District 47 Rhonda Butler Dewith Carrier Raymond Crews State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 38 House District 32 House District 8 Phillip DeVillier Daryl Deshotel Mary DuBuisson State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 41 House District 28 House District 90 Michael Echols Rick Edmonds Kathy Edmonston State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 14 House District 66 Hose District 88 Julie Emerson Les Farnum Gabe Firment State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 39 House District 33 House District 22 Page 2 of 4 Bryan Fontenot Larry Frieman Foy Gadberry State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 55 House District 74 House District 15 Brett Geymann Jonathan Goudeau Valarie Hodges State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 35 House District 31 House District 64 Paul Hollis Dodie Horton John Illg State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 104 House District 9 House District 78 Barry Ivey Mike Johnson Timothy Kerner State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 65 House District 27 House District 84 Sherman Mack Danny McCormick Scott McKnight State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 95 House District 1 House District 68 Wayne McMahen Buddy Mincey Nicholas Muscarello State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 10 House District 71 House District 86 Richard Nelson Joseph Orgeron Bob Owen State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 89 House District 54 House District 76 Charles Owen Thomas Pressly Neil Riser State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 30 House District 6 House District 20 Troy Romero Rodney Schamerhorn Laurie Schlegel State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 37 House District 24 House District 82 Alan Seabaugh Phillip Tarver Polly Thomas State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 5 House District 36 House District 80 Page 3 of 4 Christopher Turner Debbie Villio Bill Wheat State Representative State Representative State Representative House District 12 House District 79 House District 73 Cc: Superintendent Cade Brumley Attorney General Jeff Landry Page 4 of 4 .