Two school districts sue Arkansas over mask mandate ban

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Little Rock’s schools and an east Arkansas school district where hundreds of staff and students are quarantining because of a COVID-19 outbreak are suing the state over its mask mandate ban.

The lawsuit filed Thursday by the Little Rock and Marion school districts is the second the state faces over the law Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed in April prohibiting schools and other governmental bodies from requiring masks.

Hutchinson called the Legislature back into session this week to consider rolling back the ban for schools, but faces heavy opposition from fellow Republicans.

The lawsuit argues that the ban violates Arkansas’ constitution.

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