Law Schools

Law School Really Wants Things To Go Back To Normal -- Delta Variant Be Damned

Is this what the law school means when they say masks are 'strongly encouraged'????

By  
on

There’s a lot of hope in law schools that the the 2021-22 academic year would return to what we all think of as “normal.” But with vaccination rates stalling and the Delta variant cutting a devastating path through the country, we’re in a dilly of a pickle. Everyone *wants* to get back to some semblance of normal but how to do that with so many refusing the plentiful — and free — vaccinations is perplexing.

Of course, academic settings have a few tools in their arsenal, like mandatory vaccinations, or failing that, mask mandates. But not every school is taking those proven paths. As a tipster points out, the University of Oklahoma has gone the “strongly encourage” route when it comes to both vaccinations and masking:

General Facilities – The university encourages masking indoors. The university strongly encourages masking for all individuals in high-density settings, such as classrooms and at special events.
….

The university strongly encourages the entire OU community to get vaccinated, particularly those residing in congregate housing.

COVID-19 vaccines are available to all students, faculty, and staff on all three OU campuses at no cost to the individual.

While that is likely a lot more politically viable, it isn’t great news — especially in a state with a 41 percent vaccination rate. But you’re probably thinking that, surely, at the law school things are better. After all, logic is rumored to hold sway amongst legal academia. Well, let’s look, shall we?

 

That’s… a whole bunch of people and only one, single mask in sight.

Sponsored

And remember, this isn’t some random pic an insider snapped at an inopportune moment. This is the official law school IG account (and posted on their Facebook page too) seemingly boasting about the dearth of masks in a place where the policy is that they are “strongly encouraged.”

I guess Oklahoma really is ready to join the SEC.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

Sponsored

Topics

, , , ,