Members of the Orange County Board of Education were struck with disappointing news Thursday as the California Supreme Court has refused to hear their case.
"I am sorry that the state Supreme Court did not view that Governor Newsom has abused his emergency powers that are given to governors under a real healthcare crisis. Our families and children are suffering from not going to school," Board of Education President Ken Williams told the Orange County Register.
At the end of July, the board, several parents, and some private schools from around the state filed legal action with the Supreme Court.
The board voted 4-0 during a closed session on July 28, to file the lawsuit.
"We have made the decision to put the needs of our students first by filing this lawsuit," the board's majority said in a statement.
On July 17, Newsom ordered that schools in counties on the state's watch list for spikes in the coronavirus cases will not reopen with in-person classes in the 2020 fall academic year.
"We believe that the July 17 order violates the constitutional rights of our students," a statement from the board read.
Orange County trustees highlighted particularly the needs of children of single, working or immigrant parents.
"Further, the state has failed to address how high-risk students and those without adequate parental support will navigate the coming weeks and months through distance learning," the statement says.
Attorney Robert Tyler, one of the attorneys who represented the Board of Education, indicated in a statement late Wednesday that his law firm may file another petition, according to reporting by the OC Register.
