TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Mar 7, 2022

A request from Knoxville group Unmask Knox County Kids to remove the county’s mask mandate has been denied by federal Judge J. Ronnie Greer, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. Greer’s order said the families behind the suit had to show "irreparable injury, loss or damage" in a verified complaint or affidavit, which they did not do. The mask rule—which Greer had implemented in the original lawsuit brought by four families of children with disabilities who asked for help protecting their kids from COVID-19—was kept in place. The judge has not addressed the families' request to tie the mask rule to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which show masks are not required indoors in Knox County. He did, however, order the Knox County Board of Education and the four families in the lawsuit to enter mediation. The board and the families have 60 days to meet and file a mediation report.