School Board Association Responds To Attorney General

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is suing 45 K-12 public school districts around the state for what it calls illegally enforcing mask mandates. All of Missouri’s charter schools have mask requirements but they are not being sued. Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, cites a recent Cole County Court ruling he says does not give school districts the authority to impose public health orders. Melissa Randol, executive director of the Missouri School Boards’ Association, says state statutes give the local school board the authority to make health and safety rules.