The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Monday vacated a preliminary injunction because it is now moot due to “the current conditions differ[ing] vastly from those prevailing when the district court addressed it.”
The preliminary injunction “completely barred” the enforcement of Iowa Code § 280.31, which prohibits Iowa schools from requiring students or staff to wear face masks. Iowa Code § 280.31 states
The board of directors of a school district, the superintendent or chief administering officer of a school or school district, and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school shall not adopt, enforce, or implement a policy that requires its employees, students, or members of the public to wear a facial covering for any purpose while on the school district’s or accredited nonpublic school’s property unless the facial covering is necessary for a specific extracurricular or instructional purpose, or is required by section 280.10 or 280.11 or any other provision of law.
However, [i]f another state or federal law requires masks, Section 280.31 does not conflict with that law—and thus “should not be completely enjoined.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends “universal indoor masking” by all students and teachers in K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.
