Virginia parents in Fairfax County sue school officials over mask mandate: 'This is a bipartisan issue'

Virginia parents are filing suit against Fairfax County school officials over the mask mandate, claiming they are not following the governor's executive order making masks optional in the classroom. 

Carrie Lukas, one of the parents involved in the lawsuit, joined "America's Newsroom" to discuss the latest in the push to grant parents more influence in the classroom, while praising the commonwealth's bipartisan effort to end the mandate. 

VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE MAKES BIPARTISAN MOVE TO END SCHOOL MASK MANDATES

"We're gratified that there is bipartisan legislation that is being signed right now that will provide relief, but that relief is still weeks away," Lukas told co-hosts Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer. "So we thought it was important; also because some of the students have suffered real harm, have suffered real punishments, have suspensions on their record - so we need to change that."

The commonwealth's lawmakers have moved to end the mandate as the governor's executive order faces a slew of legal challenges. 

The Virginia House of Delegates approved legislation on Monday ending school mask mandates along party lines, while 10 Democrats in the Virginia State Senate voted alongside Republicans to end the policy last week. 

LOUDOUN COUNTY DAD PUSHES DISTRICT TO COMPLY WITH YOUNGKIN'S MASK POLICY: WE WANT ‘OPTIONALITY’ 

"It's great that Governor Youngkin is standing up for parents," Lukas stated. "He is trying to make this process go forward. It's great that he's been able to bring some Democrats on board."

"I think a lot of those Democrats who are also parents and who recognize what this is doing to kids and the real harm this is causing," she continued. 

Governor Glenn Youngkin signed 11 executive actions on his first day in office, one of which made masks optional in the classroom and another banned teaching critical race theory. 

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Despite his efforts, numerous school districts are pushing back on Youngkin's executive order - even suing him, claiming it does not align with the commonwealth's Constitution. 

"This is a bipartisan issue," Lukas said. "I hear from parents all the time who are on our side, too, who are afraid to speak out. These schools have made it very difficult for parents not only to exercise their rights, but even to express an opinion because they're so dug in and really harsh about it."

"Parents are afraid, and they shouldn't be," she continued.