December 23, 2021
Las Vegas, NV – Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has announced that a U.S.
District Court Judge has ruled in favor of the Office of the Attorney General
in case brought forward by the parents of two Clark County School District
students alleging the district’s mask mandate was unconstitutional – a claim
the court found lacked merit.
“Our Office has been and will continue to be the first line of
defense between our health experts and those who wish to peddle debunked,
fear-mongering arguments in the court of law,” said AG Ford. “I’m proud of those members of our office who stepped
in and worked to ensure that the classroom is as safe as it can possibly be for
our students.”
Judge Jennifer Dorsey denied the parents’ request for a
preliminary injunction and closed the case on Dec. 22, stating that the
plaintiffs did not establish a viable legal basis for their federal claims, and
declining to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state-law
claims.
CCSD issued a mask policy for the 2021-2022 school year for all students
and staff, requiring a face mask to be worn indoors and on buses unless medical
or developmental conditions prohibit use. Under this policy, parents can opt to
enroll their children in the district’s online, distance-learning program as an
alternative to in-person instruction, and students who cannot safely wear a
mask may request an accommodation.
The
virus and its many variants have infected one in every six Americans and
claimed the lives of 808,000,2 including more than 8,000 Nevadans. Clark
County, Nevada, has been a “sustained hot spot” for the virus, with high
test-positivity and transmission rates. Multiple
scientists and scientific studies have shown that masks reduce the probability
of transition and can reduce the risk that students may catch the virus and
bring it home to older relatives who are statistically more likely to
experience severe symptoms.
The
matter was handled by Deputy Solicitor General Craig Newby. To view the
decision, click here.
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