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Loudoun County School Board meeting brought to a halt by families opposing the mask mandate

Students and parents attempted to serve the board with what they say was an affidavit.

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Another Loudoun County Public School Board meeting was brought to a halt Tuesday night as students and parents opposing the district's mask mandate attempted to serve school board members what they say is an affidavit. 

“We are therefore here today to serve you an affidavit which you must respond,” Rene Camp said. “Showing us where in the constitution you have been given the legal authority to trample on people’s rights.”

Camp was a public speaker when several people attempted to serve baskets full of what they said are affidavits that deal with the mask mandate, sexual assaults, and abuse of power.

The topic of masks continues to be a point of contention among some parents as dozens of students and parents addressed the board to oppose the school district's enforcement of the mask mandate.

“I listened to our governor and now I’ve been banned from going to my own classroom since January 24," an LCPS student said during public comment. "Last Wednesday I was officially suspended.”

However, not everyone at Tuesday's meeting is opposed to ending the mask mandate.

“I will keep showing up because I don’t want a small group of ignorant people who equate wearing a mask to oppression, tyranny and segregation making decisions for our school and my children," an LCPS parent said during public comment. 

As for when masks could come off, Superintendent Scott Ziegler unveiled a plan to relax the mask mandate. That includes the number of students and staff in isolation to fall below 50, and remain at 50 for 14 days. That plan would also require community transmission and percent positivity to fall below substantial.

Currently, data shown during the school board meeting shows more than 6,000 students are quarantined as of Feb. 4 and the county is at a high level of transmission.

This plan comes days after a judge sided with seven Virginia school boards to give them the power to mandate masks at schools, including Loudoun County.

WATCH NEXT: Judge rules in favor of 7 school districts that sued over keeping masks in Virginia schools

Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office said it will appeal the decision, which allows a temporary restraining order on his ban on mask mandates in schools.

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