Judge Halts Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Opt-Out School Mask Order, For Now

Judge Halts Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Opt-Out School Mask Order, For Now

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A judge on Friday temporarily halted Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order that sought to allow parents to opt out of classroom mask mandates for their children but had been met with resistance from some school districts.

Arlington Circuit Court Judge Louise DiMatteo ruled in favor of seven school boards that filed a lawsuit challenging the governor’s order, one of the first actions Youngkin took after his inauguration Jan. 15. Her temporary restraining order means mask mandates put in place by school boards may remain, at least for now.

The judge found that the single issue before the court was whether Youngkin, through his emergency powers, can override the decision of local school boards delegated to them under a 2021 state law that required boards to provide in-person instruction in a way that adheres to federal COVID-19 mitigation strategies “to the maximum extent practicable.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal masking, regardless of vaccination status.

“On this pivotal point, the Court concludes that the Governor cannot” override local school officials, the judge wrote in her ruling.

DiMatteo said that while the case is pending in court, there appears to be a benefit to keeping the current