JEFFERSON CITY –Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is asking parents for help in identifying school districts that are continuing to violate a recent Cole County Circuit Court order.
Parents are urged to reach out directly to the Attorney General’s Office if their school district is continuing to enforce mask mandates, quarantines, and other similar COVID-19 public health orders, in violation of the Cole County order.
Earlier this week the Missouri Attorney General’s Office sent a letter to school districts and local public health authorities, informing them of the recent Cole County decision that declares COVID-19 public health orders null and void, and urging them to rescind those orders.
Since then, the Attorney General’s Office has heard from concerned parents that their school district is continuing to enforce mask mandates, quarantines, and other similar COVID-19 public health orders.
In order to empower parents and give them the ability to voice concerns with continued mask mandates and quarantine orders in their local school district, the Attorney General’s Office set up a centralized email, illegalmandates@ago.mo.gov. Parents are encouraged to email that address with their concerns, photos, videos, documents, and other supporting information, and a representative from the Attorney General’s Office will review those concerns and documentation and investigate further wherever possible.
“(Tues)day, I informed local public health authorities and school districts about the recent judgment in Cole County Circuit Court that declares public health orders issued by local public health authorities and school districts null and void and instructing those health authorities and school districts to rescind those orders and cease enforcement and publicizing of those orders. Since then, we’ve heard from parents that school districts are continuing to enforce mask mandates and quarantine orders, in violation of the recent Cole County order,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “To enable parents to voice their concerns freely about continued mask mandates and quarantine orders, and ensure that those concerns are heard and investigated properly, we have set up an email inbox, illegalmandates@ago.mo.gov, for parents to communicate directly with the Attorney General’s Office. Parents are sick and tired of the stonewalling from their school districts, and so am I.”
The letters that the Attorney General’s Office sent to local public health authorities and school districts can be found here: https://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/2021-12-7-ltr-lpha688c295df61b42c4b30ebdbb4771af1f.pdf?sfvrsn=b1f7183f_2 and here: https://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/2021-12-7-ltr-mpsde16b9660f337410bb0dd4768c520b2bd.pdf?sfvrsn=9ceb172e_2
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt recently proposed a Parents’ Bill of Rights to empower parents and increase transparency in schools.