Jefferson County well being officers need a decide to power a trio of Christian colleges to observe COVID-19 masks mandates of their lecture rooms.
Jefferson County Public Well being took authorized motion final week in opposition to Beth Eden Baptist Faculty, Augustine Classical Academy and Religion Christian Academy, saying that each one three colleges didn’t implement the county’s masks mandate for college students, and in some instances refused to let well being inspectors into their buildings.
The well being division is asking a Jefferson County judge each to order the three colleges to adjust to the masks mandate and to order the colleges to offer entry to well being inspectors.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, county well being officers mentioned they inspected Beth Eden Baptist Faculty in Wheat Ridge on Aug. 31 after receiving a grievance from a mum or dad in regards to the college’s failure to observe the county’s mask mandate, which requires college students over the age of two to put on masks inside whereas in school or in childcare amenities.
The inspectors observed three courses of 30 to 40 college students who had been all unmasked, in addition to three unmasked academics and one other three unmasked directors, in line with the county’s request for an injunction. The well being division cited the varsity and sought to conduct observe up visits a number of instances, however the college wouldn’t allow them to inside, in line with the submitting.
Beth Eden’s principal didn’t instantly return a request for remark Sunday.
Well being officers additionally acquired complaints about Augustine Classical Academy in Lakewood after the varsity’s board of administrators despatched out an e-mail saying mother and father may exempt their kids from the masking and testing necessities.
The primary inspector to enter the varsity did so regardless that she was advised to attend exterior. She noticed a preschool class with about 10 unmasked college students and two kids in masks. After college directors invited the remainder of the inspectors in about 10 minutes later, they noticed about 70 kids sporting masks and 15 or so with out, the well being division mentioned. Augustine Classical Academy didn’t return a request for remark Sunday.
At Religion Christian Academy in Arvada, well being inspectors had been capable of view one classroom the place about half of scholars had been unmasked, in line with the civil submitting. The inspectors weren’t allowed to go anyplace else and had been blocked from returning to the varsity for a observe up inspection, in line with the fling.
On its Fb web page, Religion Christian Academy mentioned the well being division’s allegations that the varsity will not be following the masks mandate are “demonstrably false.”
“We consider the function of JCPH must be to assist the general public navigate well being points as a substitute of utilizing tax {dollars} to launch unfounded and baseless lawsuits in opposition to non secular organizations who’re dedicated to serving to individuals and households,” mentioned the assertion from Religion Bible Chapel Worldwide, which operates the varsity.
A decide will hear arguments for either side throughout a Tuesday listening to.
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