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ACLU sues over South Carolina's law banning masks in schools, called fascists

A user tweeted, "The @ACLU now wants to file lawsuits to make sure that your kids HAVE TO WEAR MASKS IN SCHOOLS. In other words: the ACLU are now fascists."

The American Civil Liberties Union (UCLA) has filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday, August 24 against South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and other official elects. The suit was filed on behalf of Disability Rights South Carolina, Able South Carolina, and by a group of parents with disabled kids. It was filed over a state law that lawmakers say bans schools from requiring their students and employees to wear masks. The suit claims the law does not take into consideration students with disabilities who are susceptible to severe COVID-19 and related illnesses, thus leaving them with no option but to keep out of public schools. 

Earlier this month it was reported that SC is averaging nearly 3,000 new COVID-19 cases every day, exceeding the ones recorded between December to February 2021 at the height of the pandemic before the vaccines became available to everyone. The vaccination rates in the state are lagging with less than half of the population being vaccinated and hospital beds filling fast. 10 out of 80 school districts are already back in session and 68 COVID-19 cases amongst students and 17 in school employees were recorded according to state health officials. 

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A letter the US Secretary of Education wrote to McMaster this month stated schools were allowed to use federal funds from COVID-19 relief bills to mandate masks. McMaster responded to this and the Biden administration's directives that mask requirements should be made mandatory in schools saying the decision should be up to the parents. The back and forth led to a lot of confusion between parents regarding mask rules and on Friday, August 20, Richland County School District Two asked the state Supreme Court to pause the temporary law or proviso in the state budget that said no state funds could be used to mandate or enforce mask mandate.

“No school district, or any of its schools, may use any funds appropriated or authorized pursuant to this act to require that its students and/or employees wear a facemask at any of its educational facilities," the temporary law states and ACLU is suing McMaster and other officials over the same. In the lawsuit, the disability groups argue the proviso puts all employees and students at risk for spreading the disease. A statement from ACLU says the proviso, "particularly targets children with disabilities that put them at higher risk for severe illness, lingering disabilities, or even death due to COVID-19." The suit further argues that putting students at risk for the virus violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Making students choose between their health and their education adequately dismisses their right to equal access to public schools, the suit argues. 

The ACLU tweeted about the lawsuit from their official handle writing, "We’re suing to end South Carolina’s ban on mask requirements in schools, with Disability Rights South Carolina, Able South Carolina, and parents. Students with disabilities are effectively being excluded from public schools because of this ban. Courts must intervene." The nonprofit was immediately trolled for the move and labeled 'fascists' by anti-maskers on the platform.

"The @ACLU now wants to file lawsuits to make sure that your kids HAVE TO WEAR MASKS IN SCHOOLS. In other words: the ACLU is now fascists," a tweet read. "Haha! The ACLU has always been fascists. Everything they did in the past was maneuvering for the upcoming agendas of the Left," wrote another user in response to the previous tweet. "The ACLU has been Fascist for quite a while now. The Anti Christian Loser Union is no longer a legit voice for America...." another tweet read.