Williamson County students who used Lee order to opt out of masks now must wear them

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WZTV) — Beginning Monday, Williamson County students previously excused from wearing face coverings due to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee's mask opt-out order will now be required to wear masks at school.

"If your child has been excused from wearing a mask due to the voluntary parental opt-outs that have been granted under Executive Order 84, your child will be required to wear a face covering to school effective immediately. The same pertains to staff and volunteers," Williamson County Schools posted.

If a student or staff member has previously been granted a religious or medical exemption, those will still be honored. New requests will be evaluated.

The shift comes after the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee issued a temporary restraining order urging Governor Lee from enforcing Executive Order 84, which allowed parents to opt their children out of the Williamson County Board of Education's mask mandate on a voluntary basis. In response to a lawsuit filed against the State of Tennessee, Williamson County Schools, and Franklin Special School District, the Court ordered the district to enforce its mask mandate without the governor's parental opt-outs.

According to the court's findings, doing otherwise would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

As of Monday, three federal judges have blocked Lee's mask opt-out order withU.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw being the latest.

“Based on the record before the court, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Williamson County, including at plaintiffs’ schools, along with a significant number of students who have opted out, plaintiffs have likewise been denied access to a safe, in-person education experience,” Crenshaw wrote.

Judge Crenshaw's ruling will be in effect until the governor's order is set to expire on Oct. 5. There's no word yet on whether or not he will extend the opt-out order.

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