Clay Travis urges Tennessee school board not to force children to wear masks

"Don't let your kids wear masks," said Travis, who was met with a standing ovation from parents, while school board members told him his time was up.

The topic of masking as well as vaccine mandates in schools for the upcoming school year has been a hotly contested subject, with Dr. Anthony Fauci backing up CDC recommendations that children over the age of two wear masks indoors.

Fauci in an interview regarding the mandating of masks in children "…hopefully, this will be a temporary thing, temporary enough that it doesn't have any lasting negative impact on them."

One school board member in Oklahoma said this week that kids not wearing masks in school could kill other children.

"It's just not OK for kids to commit murder by coming to school without a mask," said Norman Public Schools board member Linda Sexton. "And when it comes down to it, it's possible. They will cause a death of another child because they come to school without a mask. That's not OK."

Biden administration Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said earlier this month that "Our kids have suffered enough. Let's do what we know works. Let's do what we know works across the country. We shouldn't get, politics shouldn't—doesn't have a role in this," in regards to mask mandates and school closures from last year.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order in late July banning the mandating of masks in public schools, threatening to take away funding if they do so.

"In Florida, there will be no lockdowns, there will be no school closures, there will be no restrictions and no mandates in the state of Florida," said DeSantis in late July.

In Michigan, the State Board of Education proved to be divided on the recommendation from Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week to require masks for the upcoming school year.

Vice President Pamela Pugh told Treasurer Tom McMillin that by wanting to take away the protection, he was "killing our children."

"Oh come on," McMillin said. "I'm killing your children, is that what you said?"