Teacher Sues Arizona School District Over Mask Mandate: ‘If a Legal Battle Ensues, We’ll be Fully Prepared to Handle That’

A school district in Arizona decided to implement a mask mandate despite the governor’s ban, and now a teacher is suing the district.

On Monday, Douglas Hester – a teacher who works for the Phoenix Union High School District – filed a lawsuit against his job, the governing board and its superintendent over its decision to implement a mask mandate. Hester wants a judge to block the mandate.

Back in June, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey legally banned school districts in the state from requiring staff and students to wear masks, despite the COVID-19’s Delta variant being on the rise and the growing number of COVID-19 cases.

“No school district is above the law, and we are pleased to take action on behalf of this brave teacher to ensure government bodies follow state law,” said an attorney for Hester in an email to CNN.

Last week, the district announced its mask mandate, instructing all employees, students, and visitors to wear masks while inside schools. “Recently, we have heard from our staff, students, and families that they want us to realign our mitigation practices with the guidelines and recommendations of national and local health agencies,” the announcement said.

“If a legal battle ensues, we’ll be fully prepared to handle that,” said Geston during a press conference.