Parents of disabled kids sue over Iowa ban on mask mandates

By RYAN J. FOLEY
Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A group of parents of disabled students has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to strike down Iowa’s law banning schools from requiring masks, arguing it endangers their health and denies equal access to education. The lawsuit is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and disability rights organizations. It adds to the legal pressure facing the law as virus cases and hospitalizations climb in Iowa to their highest levels since last winter. Gov. Kim Reynolds defended the law at a news conference Thursday, saying it lets parents choose whether their students should wear masks. She says those who feel unsafe in classrooms can enroll in online-only programs.