American states that ban face coverings in schools may be discriminating against students with disabilities, U.S. Department of Education officials say. The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has opened investigations into five states that ban face coverings, or masks. The states are Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. Suzanne Goldberg is the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights. She informed the states of the investigation, saying that they could be in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA. The 1990 law bans discrimination against people with disabilities and requires that children with disabilities receive a fair education. Goldberg said in a letter that the “investigation will focus on whether … students with disabilities who are at heightened risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are prevented from safely returning to in-person education, in violation of Federal law.” The administration of President Joe Biden has said it would fight back against efforts by Republican state lawmakers to prevent mask mandates in schools. Those against the requirements say it is a matter of personal freedom. They argue that it should be up to parents and individuals to decide. In the state of Tennessee, Republican Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order on August 16 letting parents “opt out” of any requirement that children wear masks in school. Two legal actions have since been filed against the order including one saying that it violates the ADA. Four other states, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida and Texas, have also passed laws or signed executive orders banning mask mandates in schools. But the states are not currently under investigation because court orders have blocked the bans.
Title: US Opens Investigation into School Mask Bans
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='US Opens Investigation into School Mask Bans' data-article-id='5864'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='14292'>American states that ban face coverings in schools may be discriminating against students with disabilities, U.S. Department of Education officials say.</span> <span data-start-time='14292' data-end-time='28250'>The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has opened investigations into five states that ban face coverings, or masks. </span> <span data-start-time='28250' data-end-time='37500'>The states are Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.</span> <span data-start-time='37500' data-end-time='44417'>Suzanne Goldberg is the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights. </span> <span data-start-time='44417' data-end-time='56688'>She informed the states of the investigation, saying that they could be in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA. </span> <span data-start-time='56688' data-end-time='71792'>The 1990 law bans discrimination against people with disabilities and requires that children with disabilities receive a fair education.</span> <span data-start-time='71792' data-end-time='95167'>Goldberg said in a letter that the “investigation will focus on whether … students with disabilities who are at heightened risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are prevented from safely returning to in-person education, in violation of Federal law.”</span> <span data-start-time='95167' data-end-time='108854'>The administration of President Joe Biden has said it would fight back against efforts by Republican state lawmakers to prevent mask mandates in schools. </span> <span data-start-time='108854' data-end-time='115250'>Those against the requirements say it is a matter of personal freedom. </span> <span data-start-time='115250' data-end-time='122000'>They argue that it should be up to parents and individuals to decide.</span> <span data-start-time='122000' data-end-time='139604'>In the state of Tennessee, Republican Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order on August 16 letting parents “opt out” of any requirement that children wear masks in school. </span> <span data-start-time='139604' data-end-time='150438'>Two legal actions have since been filed against the order including one saying that it violates the ADA.</span> <span data-start-time='150438' data-end-time='164750'>Four other states, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida and Texas, have also passed laws or signed executive orders banning mask mandates in schools. </span> <span data-start-time='164750' data-end-time='172750'>But the states are not currently under investigation because court orders have blocked the bans.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18027 data-hint-location='44417' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/what_is_a_violation.wav'>What is a violation?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the action of violating someone or something'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/a_structure_dividing_a_space_into_two_parts_especially_a_light_interior_wall.wav'><span>a structure dividing a space into two parts, especially a light interior wall</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/a_bluishpurple_color_seen_at_the_end_of_the_spectrum_opposite_red.wav'><span>a bluish-purple color seen at the end of the spectrum opposite red</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/the_action_of_violating_someone_or_something.wav'><span>the action of violating someone or something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/an_extended_period_of_leisure_and_recreation_especially_one_spent_away_from_home_or_in_traveling.wav'><span>an extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18028 data-hint-location='44417' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/what_is_the_act_that_investigators_think_these_states_could_be_violating.wav'>What is the act that investigators think these states could be violating?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice=' Americans With Disabilities Act'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/_americans_with_disabilities_act.wav'><span> Americans With Disabilities Act</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/occupational_safety_and_health_act.wav'><span>Occupational Safety and Health Act</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/environmental_protection_act.wav'><span>Environmental Protection Act</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/fresh_air_act.wav'><span>Fresh Air Act</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18029 data-hint-location='95167' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/the_administration_of_president_joe_biden_has_said_it_would_fight_back_against_efforts_by_republican_state_lawmakers_to_prevent_mask_mandates_in__blank__.wav'>The administration of President Joe Biden has said it would fight back against efforts by Republican state lawmakers to prevent mask mandates in <span class='blank'>schools</span>. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='schools'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/schools.wav'><span>schools</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/treetops.wav'><span>treetops</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/golf_courses.wav'><span>golf courses</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5310/cars.wav'><span>cars</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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