Judge extends order letting Iowa schools require masks

A federal judge has extended his order allowing Iowa schools to require that students and staff wear masks.

The new order preventing enforcement of the state law banning mask mandates in schools lasts until October 11. The judge’s original restraining order was issued September 13 and, since then, at least two dozen Iowa districts have adopted some sort of requirement that face coverings be worn at school.

A disability rights organization and a group of parents filed the lawsuit, saying their children are at higher risk of getting Covid in schools where masks are not being worn. The Associated Press is reporting court documents in support of the lawsuit indicate that in the first month of this school year, the number of Covid cases in 11 Iowa school districts was higher than the number of positive cases in all of the last school year.

In support of the state’s bid to dismiss the lawsuit, the parent of a Muscatine student with a hearing disability has testified his son has difficulty hearing his teacher who’s wearing a mask.