Parents of students attending Minnesota schools without COVID-19 mask mandates have filed a lawsuit against the Democrat Governor. Tim Walz for violating their constitutional right to an “adequate” education, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
The lawsuit was filed by “Parents Advocating for Safe Schools” in Ramsey County District Court on Friday and calls on the governor to impose an emergency executive order to mandate face masks in all public schools.
“We are hopeful that the court will recognize that subjecting students, teachers, staff, and visitors to schools to dangerous, hazardous situations where masks aren’t required deprives the students of the ability to have an adequate education as guaranteed by the state constitution,” plaintiff attorney Marshall Tanick stated to the Star-Tribune.
According to the report, Walz’s COVID-19 emergency powers for pandemic pandemics have expired, and schools were left to set their own requirements district-by-district. This angered parents who preferred mask mandates.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have both recommended that all schools require masks. The Twin Cities metropolitan area has done so, while other districts recommend masks but do not mandate them.
“We believe that mandatory masking is essential to the safety, health, and well-being of our children, as well as staff members at schools, and those visiting school sites,” Dr. Loucresie Rupert, who specializes in psychiatry and is one of the parents involved in the lawsuit, wrote in a statement, according to the Star-Tribune.
Gov. Walz spokesperson Teddy Tschann made a statement to this paper.
“As a former high school teacher, Gov. Walz will always prioritize the health and safety of Minnesota students, and he expects the legislature to help him,” Tschann said. “The governor’s office is reviewing the complaint and will continue to work with schools and parents to keep kids safe.”
