MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Parents with a child in a Shelby County school or daycare will be required to send them in a mask.
Germantown Municipal School District said it will follow the rules set by the county and a judge's order.
This comes one day after municipal schools in Shelby Country made masks optional. That decision followed a bill signed Friday by Governor Bill Lee that banned the current mask mandate set by the Shelby County Health Department.
But a federal judge temporarily blocked that bill.
In Tennessee, eight families with children with disabilities, who they say are at a high risk of COVID-19, filed a lawsuit against the state.
The judge's blocking of the bill meant the current mandate in Shelby County would stand.
Knowing that all municipal schools in the county went forward with making masks optional for school on Monday citing late notice of the judge's ruling.
In a statement by the district, Germantown acknowledged that one of the students in the lawsuit attends their schools. Because of that, the district would follow the judge's order.
"It is our understanding that the Federal Judge specifically stated that because one of the Plaintiffs in the new lawsuit is a student at Germantown Municipal School District, the Germantown Municipal School District must maintain its mask-wearing requirement as of Thursday," it read, in part.
Arlington, Bartlett, Lakeland, and Collierville Municipal School Districts all said Tuesday morning that Sunday's mask optional decision remains in place at this time.
Millington did not respond to whether they would reinstate a mandatory mask-wearing in schools.
The Shelby County Schools district will require masks.
Germantown Municipal School District statement:
Over the weekend, we issued a notice to parents stating that a new state law took effect on Friday which prohibited mandatory mask wearing. Over the same weekend, a lawsuit was filed in Nashville requesting that the Federal Judge stop the state law from taking effect.
Sunday, the Federal Judge in Nashville specifically ordered that the parties “maintain the status quo”, as of Thursday, November 11. At today’s status conference, it is our understanding that the Federal Judge specifically stated that because one of the Plaintiffs in the new lawsuit is a student at Germantown Municipal School District, the Germantown Municipal School District must maintain its mask wearing requirement as of Thursday, November 11. Therefore, since masks were required in our school district as of Thursday, November 11, we will follow the Judge’s order and continue requiring masks in our schools until further notice. We ask for your patience while this case is being decided.
We are aware of this afternoon’s ruling by U.S. Middle District Court Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. concerning new legislation that was passed into law regarding masking in schools. Due to the late notice and our desire to be sure we are in compliance with the appropriate legal or legislative requirements at any given time, our legal counsel will review the new order as well as the outcome of a scheduled hearing that will take place Monday afternoon.
After a thorough evaluation of the implications of this and any subsequent developments, Bartlett City Schools will issue updated guidance to our parents and students as necessary. For the time being, we will proceed with our previous announcement that masks will not be required for students, staff, and visitors on Monday, November 15th.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
Collierville Schools statement:
We are aware of this afternoon’s ruling by U.S. Middle Tennessee District Court judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. concerning new legislation that was signed into law regarding masking in schools. Due to the late notice and our desire to be sure we are in compliance with the appropriate legal or legislative requirements at any given time, our legal counsel will review the new order as well as the outcome of a scheduled hearing that will take place Monday afternoon.
After a thorough evaluation of the implications of this and any subsequent developments, our school system will issue updated guidance to our parents and students as necessary. For the time being, we will proceed with our previous announcement that masks will be optional for students, staff, and visitors on Monday, November 15th.
Arlington Community Schools statement:
Masks remain optional in ACS as our general counsel reviews and monitors the federal court litigation. We will update families if there is a change to our mask policy.
Lakeland School System statement:
We are aware of this afternoon’s ruling by U.S. Middle District Court judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. concerning new legislation that was passed into law regarding masking in schools. Due to the late notice and our desire to be sure we are in compliance with the appropriate legal or legislative requirements at any given time, our legal counsel will review the new order as well as the outcome of a scheduled hearing that will take place Monday afternoon.
After a thorough evaluation of the implications of this and any subsequent developments, our school system will issue updated guidance to our parents and students as necessary. For the time being, we will proceed with our previous announcement that masks will be optional for students, staff, and visitors on Monday, November 15th.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding.