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Seven college districts in Virginia sued Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday, objecting to his government order overruling their masks insurance policies and making the sporting of masks non-compulsory in public faculties.
The varsity districts embody the Fairfax County Public Faculties, the state’s largest with greater than 178,000 college students, in addition to the varsity methods in Prince William County, Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Hampton, and Richmond. Collectively, the districts serve greater than 350,000 college students.
The varsity districts mentioned in a press release on Monday that the lawsuit, filed in Arlington District Court docket, “defends the proper of faculty boards to enact coverage on the native stage, together with insurance policies that defend the well being and well-being of all college students and employees,.”
The varsity officers questioned whether or not an government order “can unilaterally override” the authority given to native boards by the state structure. The swimsuit additionally disputes whether or not the governor’s order can override legislative motion taken in 2021 that allowed college students to attend courses in individual whereas native college boards comply with suggestions of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
“With out as we speak’s motion, college boards are positioned in a legally untenable place — confronted with an government order that’s in battle with the structure and state legislation,” the lawsuit says.
A spokeswoman for the governor, Macaulay Porter, mentioned in a press release that the governor’s workplace was “upset that these college boards are ignoring mother or father’s rights.” She mentioned Mr. Youngkin and the state legal professional common have been dedicated to combating the lawsuit.
Mr. Youngkin issued an government order on Jan. 15, the day he took workplace, that mentioned mother and father might determine for themselves whether or not to comply with college masks mandates. The order aimed to finish a mandate imposed by Mr. Youngkin’s predecessor, Ralph Northam.
Mr. Youngkin ordered that the mother and father of any youngster enrolled in a faculty or a school-based early youngster care and academic program “could elect for his or her kids to not be topic to any masks mandate in impact” on the facility.
“Mother and father ought to have the flexibility to determine whether or not their youngster ought to put on masks throughout the varsity day,” it reads.
The faculties’ lawsuit mentioned, partially, that the plaintiff’s faculties “have college students and employees members who’re notably weak to the consequences of Covid-19, and for whom an an infection with the virus might result in severe sickness or loss of life” and that masks have been among the many mitigation measures the colleges have taken for the 2021-22 college 12 months.
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