ST. LOUIS — A Missouri official is requiring school districts that want state bond deals to comply with a court ruling last month stripping local health authorities' discretionary powers to combat diseases like COVID-19.
Treasurer Scott Fizpatrick said districts that want to participate in the bond direct deposit program, designed to provide them lower interest rates, must certify that they're in compliance with the ruling from Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green, who invalidated state regulations allowing the state or local health directors to make orders affecting schools, businesses, other organizations and individuals, according to a report from the Missouri Independent, a nonprofit news outlet.
Since the ruling, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has demanded districts drop mask mandates and quarantine orders. He has also urged parents to report districts that were still enforcing them. Some districts have pushed back, saying Schmitt's demands have "no legal authority."
The superintendents of the North Platte R-1 School District and Warren County R-III School District told the Missouri Independent that Fitzpatrick's demand was unusual, but that they complied in order to ensure higher costs wouldn’t be passed on to taxpayers in their community. The Affton School District also told the Independent it was asked to certify compliance with Green's court ruling and is exploring its potential impacts on the district.
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