Judge sides with 12 disabled kids seeking masks in schools

By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal judge says 12 Virginia schoolchildren who are particularly vulnerable to getting sick from COVID-19 can seek a “reasonable accommodation” such as requiring their classmates to wear masks. Their parents said the state’s new opt-out policy on masks could prevent them from attending school in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. They sued Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who ended the state’s mask mandates. But Judge Norman Moon made clear that the state law remains in force, so protections for any other vulnerable children across Virginia will have to be sought separately. The ACLU says the ruling could give other parents a “blueprint” to seek accommodations for at-risk kids.