A federal judge Sunday night temporarily blocked a new Tennessee law banning mask mandates in schools.
Governor Bill Lee on Friday signed a new sweeping Covid bill into law banning mask mandates in schools.
Friday afternoon a lawsuit was filed on behalf of eight Tennessee students arguing their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) would be violated if masks were banned in schools.
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Waverly D. Crenshaw blocked the new law.
“Given the alleged conflict and the possible confusion this creates for schools in Tennessee, pending an expedited hearing, the parties shall maintain the STATUS QUO as it pertains to students with disabilities and their federally guaranteed rights as of Thursday, November 11, 2021.” the Obama-appointed judge wrote.
Fox13 Memphis reported:
Governor Bill Lee approved a document prohibiting schools from imposing mask mandates unless COVID-19 levels rise considerably Friday afternoon.
One day after the governor signed the law, suburban school districts like Collierville, Germantown and others across Shelby County began announcing policy changes.
However, in a Sunday order, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw of the Middle District of Tennessee said, “Given the alleged conflict and the possible confusion this creates for schools in Tennessee…the parties shall maintain the STATUS QUO” as of November 11, the day before Lee signed the mask mandate ban.
The judge has also scheduled a conference over the order for Monday afternoon.
According to Fox 13, several Tennessee schools announced Sunday evening they are keeping their optional mandates.
