Commentary
As the school year comes to a close, a recent court ruling in California may have parents reconsidering enrolling their children in public schools this fall.
In Southern California, the case of Aidan Palicke made headlines. Aidan, an academically gifted student and track team captain at Yorba Linda High School, was subjected to harsh treatment by school officials for wearing a mesh face mask that was previously deemed acceptable during the COVID era.
Aidan described being forced to take exams outside in freezing 40-degree weather in just a t-shirt, with other students watching him through the windows. He faced ridicule from peers and was eventually removed from campus and placed in a home-based study program against his wishes.
The Palicke family filed a lawsuit against the Placentia Yorba Linda School District (PYLUSD) in March 2022, alleging that certain board members had altered the masking policy mid-year to target “conservative” students or those whose parents opposed COVID measures at the school.
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During the court proceedings, it was revealed that there was confusion within the school district as teachers and officials selectively enforced the masking policy, allowing some students to wear any mask or no mask at all. Some board members expressed a desire to address the chaos caused by the new policy but were prevented from voting on it by other board members.
Rita Barnett-Rose, the Palicke family’s attorney, spoke out against the court’s ruling, stating that it set a dangerous precedent by granting immunity to school officials for their actions during the COVID era, despite violating students’ rights.
The judge ruled that with the mask mandate withdrawn and Aidan no longer part of the district, all claims against school officials were considered “moot,” and Aidan was not entitled to compensation for the harm he suffered.
Despite a dismissal announcement by school board member Marilyn Anderson, the Palicke family received support from the new superintendent of schools, Alex Cherniss, who condemned Anderson’s actions as “abhorrent” and “shameful.”
The Palicke family continues to pursue justice, with financial assistance from the Free Now Foundation. Chris Palicke, Aidan’s father, expressed determination to continue fighting for the rights of all children.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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