A legal challenge faces Madison City Schools after a group of concerned parents last week brought a lawsuit against the district over its mask mandate.

According to Shema Rizo, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, the parents’ legal argument is over whether the school district acted within its legal authority in issuing the mask mandate.

During a Tuesday interview on WVNN’s “The Yaffee Program,” Rizo outlined the merits of the plaintiffs’ case against the school district’s requirement of forced masking for students.

“Our lawsuit is important because it’s the act of the board acting mandated mask-wearing, thereby assuming legislative power – that’s illegal,” declared Rizo. “So we don’t respect the board assuming arbitrary power over those of us who choose not to mask. So we’re working hard to protect the rights of parents to make decisions regarding their child’s health, their education, upbringing and their care. They’re just overstepping their boundaries and they’re continuing to ignore our concerns with the harms of masking.”

Rizo went on to cite the struggles she contends some students, particularly among the hearing impaired, have faced due to the constraints of masks. She advised that learning difficulties and mental health issues can become adverse effects associated with forced masking.

“[T]hey’re walking around in fear and prolonged fear creates trauma… it does,” she added. “And they’re ignoring it. And the anxiety and depression that comes from fear can create suicidal thoughts, and I have testimonies of teenagers just being impacted by the message and the yelling and intimidation by some teachers. Not all teachers are bad, but some teachers, there are some bad apples in there. We’re here to hold them accountable and stop the message from saying our children are killing people or they’re going to make people sick if they don’t wear a mask properly or if they don’t even wear a mask. I’m sick of this crap and it’s hurting them.”

Regardless of the lawsuit’s outcome, Rizo declared her unwavering commitment to ensuring that the school district’s mask mandate is rescinded.

“You know, I am optimistic because if we don’t win with the lawsuit, we’re going to have some really ticked off parents – I’ll tell you that,” proclaimed Rizo. “And we’re going to be rallying together because people who want to choose to let this continue, they can continue suffering. But there are those of us… people like me who are not going to continue with letting rules be for thee for but for I. It’s not going to continue happening… We’re going to handle it legally but this will end. We are determined, whether it’s in court or out of court.”

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL