Stacey Abrams deletes photo of herself grinning unmasked in a classroom surrounded by young children forced to wear masks after being called out for breaking mask mandate
Democratic darling Stacey Abrams shared a photo of her unmasked in a classroom full of young children who were forced to wear face masks. However, the photo was removed from social media after Abrams was skewered for the awful optics and accused of engaging in hypocritical behavior of flouting a mask mandate.
On Friday, Abrams visited the Glennwood Elementary School outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Holly Brookins – the principal of Glennwood Elementary School – shared three photos of an unmasked Abrams on her Twitter account, which is no longer active.
The Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate retweeted the principal's tweet featuring photos of her at the school.
One photo shows a smiling Abrams without a mask in a classroom where every young child and school faculty member are wearing face masks. In another picture, an unmasked Abrams appears to hug a school faculty member who is wearing a mask. Abrams is seen without a mask delivering a speech to the students in another photo.
Have a feeling this photo\u2014which Abrams promoted on her own account\u2014of her appearing maskless surrounded by kids in masks is gonna be in a lot of ads this fall.pic.twitter.com/gYtDOMGTeK— Alex Thompson (@Alex Thompson) 1644157136
However, by Saturday the photos were deleted.
These tweets \u2014 with a photo showing Stacey Abrams maskless surrounded by masked children & showing Abrams promoting it from her own account \u2014 have now both been removed. (Abrams deleted her own tweet and it appears that the original account has been deactivated or something).pic.twitter.com/qzzAPolsE2— Jerry Dunleavy (@Jerry Dunleavy) 1644158659
The school is located in Decatur City, which recently extended its face mask mandate until February 22, 2022.
The photos of the grinning Democratic politician in a room full of masked children enraged many.
Georgia governor Brian Kemp (R): "Stacey Abrams wants state government mask mandates for Georgians and their children. But it looks like they wouldn’t apply when she’s attending a photo op."
National Review editor Rich Lowry: "Confirmation, if any were needed, that Stacey Abrams is a member of the Democratic elite in good standing—mask hypocrisy is practically a status symbol now."
Former Trump senior advisor Stephen Miller: "In so many ways, this picture embodies the elitism, arrogance, cruelty, science denial, and glib authoritarianism of Joe Biden’s Democrat Party."
Journalist Glenn Greenwald: "Meanwhile: since @staceyabrams is a very sophisticated and important liberal, I'm sure there's something in The Science™ that justifies her being maskless indoors, surrounded by young kids forced to wear masks all day. Maybe she's holding her breath?"
Republican candidate for Georgia's 6th congressional district Jake Evans: "Stacey Abrams is mask-less while all the children around her suffer. This is child abuse."
Conservative think tank American Principles Project: "Self-righteous politicians show off their smile as they force your children to be muzzled all day, set back years in their development, and carry the burden of a pandemic that was never at high risk to them."
Board-certified ophthalmologist and biomedical research scientist Houman David Hemmati: "This recent image of political activist @staceyabrams of Georgia (who is at VERY high risk for COVID death) sitting unmasked, with a huge wide grin, in front of forcibly masked kids whose smiles we/they will never see, exemplifies the hypocrisy of politicians."
Political strategist Justin Hart: "When Stacey Abrams runs for office again just plaster this picture on a billboard."
Washington Examiner executive editor Seth Mandel: "Stacey Abrams cutting an ad for her opponent is extremely weird I would not recommend this strategy."
Outkick founder Clay Travis: "The number of left wing politicians who post photos posing without masks while all the kids around them are wearing masks is stunning. Here is Stacey Abrams doing it. This is child abuse."
Political strategist Caleb Hull: "Stacey Abrams, who is obese and in the high risk category, not wearing a mask while children, who are in the lowest risk category, are all masked just about sums this whole pandemic up."
Communications director for Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) – Madeline Corso: "Just to recap… Youngkin: anti-mandates & didn’t wear a mask in a VA grocery store where it’s optional. Abrams: pro-mandates & didn’t wear a mask in a GA school where children are forced to wear them There’s a reason only one of them is a governor—and the other never will be."
Talk show host Larry O'Connor: "Are these little children forced to wear masks to protect @staceyabrams? What kind of cruel monster makes little children cover their faces so they can have a photo op without fear of viral infection? If you're so afraid that you make kids wear masks around you, stay home!"
In the past, Abrams has told others to wear face masks.
As our nation\u2019s COVID death toll exceeds the 1918-19 Spanish flu, Georgia tragically has more than 20,000 souls in the number. We mourn their passing, and we should be doing more to save lives. Wear masks. Get vaccinated. Support healthcare workers w/more than rhetoric. Do right.— Stacey Abrams (@Stacey Abrams) 1632250371
Wear a mask. Vote. \n\nGet yours herehttp://resistancebydesign.com/fair-fight\u00a0pic.twitter.com/MpQHm90lJJ— Stacey Abrams (@Stacey Abrams) 1595797218
Wear a mask. Go to the polls. Cast your vote. Save our democracy. http://iwillvote.com\u00a0 \n\n: @kevloweryphotopic.twitter.com/SEvQfRj2xy— Stacey Abrams (@Stacey Abrams) 1604434509