Conservative Group Sues To Stop Racine From Closing Private Schools Due To COVID-19

The conservative advocacy group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed a lawsuit Thursday to stop Racine from closing schools.

Health departments across the state have advised schools to switch to all-virtual learning as the coronavirus has been spreading uncontrollably across the state.The Racine Board of Health issued an order last week telling all schools to go virtual from Nov. 27 through Jan. 15.

The Racine Unified School District, the largest public school district in the area, has been using remote learning since the start of the school year. But some private schools in the area have still been holding classes in person.

WILL filed its lawsuit on behalf of School Choice Wisconsin Action, Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools, EverGreen Academy, Racine Christian School, Racine Lutheran High School, St. John’s Lutheran Church & School, Trinity Lutheran School and four individuals.

It’s asking for an immediate injunction to stop Racine from closing schools. WILL was successful in getting an injunction in a similar case when Dane County issued an order telling schools to go all-virtual at the start of the school year.

“Once again, and in contravention of state statutes and constitutional guarantees, a local government bureaucrat has prohibited Wisconsin parents from sending their own children to receive in-person instruction in privately owned and operated schools, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as justification,” WILL’s attorneys wrote in their filing.