Maryland parent group suing State Dept. of Education over mask mandate

MARYLAND – A group of parents are seeking to end public school mask mandates for good. Tuesday, the Coalition of Maryland Parents (COMP) filed suit against the Maryland State Department of Education (MDSE) in Somerset County Circuit Court. COMP is an organization representing about 175 Maryland parents. The organization launched a legal fund to pay for the suit.

In a statement from COMP, co-founder Ali Rak wrote in part, “The statewide public school mask mandate is one of the last remaining statewide issues in the years-long fight against what a significant number of Marylanders see as overly burdensome and damaging restrictions.”

Rak continued, “Parents throughout the state of Maryland want their rightful decision-making power returned. Children are the least at risk for adverse outcomes from a COVID-19 infection and yet, the last to see restrictions removed throughout this entire years long ordeal.”

MDSE tells 47 ABC they will continue to stick with their mask mandate, as well as guidelines for when schools can go drop the masks. MDSE adds that they will be keeping track of changing community health metrics, to help guide in any further decisions on mask mandates.