CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Gov. Glenn Youngkin's recently signed executive order removing mask mandates inside of schools has raised concern among some Chesapeake Public Schools parents. They are taking action and have filed a lawsuit against the governor.
Thirteen Chesapeake Public School parents filed a lawsuit Tuesday, in which they state that Gov. Youngkin does not have the authority that he claims to make masks optional in schools.
According to court documents, along with Youngkin, the parents are suing the state's health commissioner, state's public school superintendent, the school board, and Chesapeake's superintendent.
The lawsuit requests that the court suspends the effective date of the executive order.
In the order, Youngkin cites a part of Virginia code that says, "A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child."
Gov. Youngkin's spokesperson responded to the lawsuit with the following statement: "We will continue to protect parents' fundamental right to make decisions with regard to their child’s upbringing, education and care."
The executive order doesn't take effect until January 24, so the previous order requiring masks in schools remains in effect for this week.
The Chesapeake School Board is holding a special meeting on Thursday to review current COVID-19 data and discuss the recent executive order.
To read the full lawsuit, click here.
Related: Local schools respond to Gov. Youngkin's executive order on masks in school
