Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a motion for class certification and a motion for a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit over mask mandates in public schools, Doug Hayter, executive director of the Missouri Association of School Administrators, told the St. Louis Record.
"Making schools a political battleground is problematic and potentially divisive," Hayter said. "As school leaders, our members make decisions that are in the best interest of students’ health. In situations like these and many others, local control should rule the day."
If class certification is granted, it would apply to all public school districts in the state that have a mask policy, according to a press release from Attorney General Schmitt.
"Forcing children to wear masks in school all day long flies in the face of science and could hinder crucial development by eliminating facial cues and expressions," Attorney General Schmitt said.
Hayter said that what school leaders do should be a reflection of what their community is wishing.
"As we all know, some districts are mandating masks, some are using a hybrid model, and some are not requiring masks. Regardless of the direction each district goes, it is a decision made by locally elected school board members and leadership of that district," Hayter said.
Schmitt said that they think that families should decide on masks and not the government.
"We filed this case because we fundamentally don’t believe in forced masking, rather that parents and families should have the power to make decisions on masks, based on science and facts. We plan to continue to aggressively litigate this case moving forward," Schmitt said.