ACLU demands judge rule against Youngkin’s order to lift school mask mandate

Two minors who are both immunocompromised are behind the ACLU's federal lawsuit live in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. "Our clients, who all wear masks regularly, need other people around them to wear masks as well in order to keep them protected," said a member of the ACLU Virginia's legal team Kaitlin Banner.

According to local outlet WTOP, the ACLU of Virginia argues that immunocompromised kids have a right to stay safe at school, claiming that allowing other students the possibility of going maskless violates the children's civil rights. The legal motion further argues that schools not forcing K-12 children to mask up in classrooms violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Banner said there are two other lawsuits filed against the governor, which allege that state law doesn't allow Youngkin to set practices for school districts. "What our lawsuit is looking at, which is different from those, is does the governor's order prevent school districts from complying with federal civil rights laws; prevent them from making reasonable accommodations for kids with disabilities," Banner said.

The national ACLU, which presents itself as a defender and preserver of individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every American under the Constitution, has taken a progressive stance on numerous issues in recent times, while opposing certain beliefs being battled over in the culture war that it used to fight for.

For example, the ACLU has come out in opposition to curriculum transparency after years of claiming that "there can be no accountability without transparency."