KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Northland Parent Association, a group of parents in the Northland who have come out against mask requirements in schools, filed a motion in federal court Thursday to try and stop Kansas City, Missouri'supdated mask mandate.
The expedited motion by the association aims to stop the enforcement of the new mandate, which does not require masks for adults inside public buildings, but does require masks for everyone in schools and on school buses.
The city's previous indoor mask mandate expired Thursday.
The group previously filed a federal lawsuit against multiple school districts and municipalities, including the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council and Mayor Quinton Lucas, in August opposing their mask mandates.
In a news release, the association said that they applaud the two councilpersons who voted against the new mandate.
"The Northland Parent Association’s motion asks the court to consider the unlawfulness of Kansas City’s new mask mandate along with the Association’s pending preliminary-injunction motion," the release said. "The new mandate is arbitrary and not based on sufficient evidence, violates constitutional rights, and fails to provide for individual religious exemptions. The new rule robs parents of their authority over their children’s health and wellbeing and gives that authority to the local government.
According to court documents, the group is arguing that the enforcement of the mandate is "unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious and unlawful as applied to K-12 students" and that it violates the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions as well as the Missouri Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“The Northland Parent Association will continue to defend the bodily autonomy of our children, our parental rights, and we will never cede our health care freedom to government officials colluding with school superintendents,” Northland Parent Association Vice President Natalie Scholl said. “We will never accept the deterioration of our rights at the hands of those who should be representing us.”
