Perkiomen Valley SD Appeals Federal Judge's Mask Ruling

PERKIOMEN VALLEY, PA — The Perkiomen Valley School District is appealing a federal judge's ruling from last week that effectively reinstated a universal masking policy in schools.

A court docket entry in the federal litigation shows that the school district gave notice that it is filing what is called an interlocutory appeal with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

The district is challenging U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone's Feb. 7 decision granting a preliminary injunction in the case.

Beetlestone is presiding over a case in which a class of special needs plaintiffs are challenging a prior school board decision that rescinded a universal masking policy for students and staff, instead making the wearing of face masks optional.

The judge agreed to grant the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction in the case after finding that they would likely succeed on the merits of the case.

The injunction does not expire, and means students, staff and visitors to the district must be masked for the foreseeable future.

Read Patch's previous coverage of the case here.

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