A parent is suing a Wisconsin school district saying her son got sick after being exposed to a classmate who had COVID-19 symptoms due to the district’s lack of coronavirus mitigation protocols.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Shannon Jensen filed a lawsuit against the Waukesha School District and Waukesha School Board, seeking an injunction ordering the district to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidelines.
According to the lawsuit the district removed its mask requirement and many other measures put in place to limit the spread of COVID in May. Despite this, Jensen said her son and his two younger brothers still wore masks to school.
However, her son contracted COVID after sitting next to a classmate on Sept. 16 & 17 who was showing symptoms consistent with a COVID-19 infection. His classmate was not wearing a mask. Two days later Jensen said her son began showing symptoms and tested positive for COVID. Her two younger sons also tested positive as well.
“The School District of Waukesha’s refusal to implement reasonable Covid-19 mitigation strategies, not only affected our immediate family, but if we had been notified sooner of my oldest son’s close contact with someone who was diagnosed with Covid-19, we could have prevented possible further community spread of the virus,” Jensen said in a statement according to Insider.
“In the 24 hours prior to my oldest son exhibiting symptoms, BR attended a Cub Scout camp, church, church school, a church festival, a community parade, and a community car show potentially exposing hundreds of local citizens,” she added.
The lawsuit is being funded by the Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC and argues for class-action status, Insider noted.
The Waukesha School Board voted to remove the mask mandate in its schools and at district functions in May. The board also voted to remove the requirement that students or staff quarantine if they were determined to have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, presumed positive for COVID-19, or awaiting test results.
