LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock School District announced a plan Friday to sue the state of Arkansas – resulting in yet another lawsuit over Act 1002, the state's ban on mask mandates.
"We are looking at pursuing a lawsuit against the state for the constitutionality of Act 1002," Mike Poore, superintendent for LRSD, said. "This lawsuit does challenge the constitutionality of whether 1002 is something that can be done."
The lawsuit laid out multiple points, including that Act 1002 should not be enforced.
"Our board approved a resolution that gave me the authority to move forward in as aggressive a fashion as I could," Poore said. "I got pretty aggressive but I think the board's along for the ride, but we have to find that out next Wednesday."
The school board is an important part in what happens next – they'll decide whether or not the district will actually sue.
"As a board, we will review that," Vicki Hatter, LRSD School Board President, said. "We will vote on that because the board speaks by a vote, but this is extremely important."
Parents in the district have already made similar lawsuits.
THV11 previously reported on one such parent, Veronica McClane, who is part of a group of parents suing.
"We know what the science is, we know what the right things to do are," McClane, a parent, said.
Gov. Hutchinson announced a special session Thursday to discuss Act 1002. McClane said neither of the lawsuits stop because of that.
"I think either way it goes the courts are going to have plenty of people that are saying, 'look, we need to be looking at this, this is important,'" she said. "We've really put our state in a bad place with this law."
Poore reiterated that-- adding they'll keep their lawsuit if the legislature doesn't block Act 1002.
"I want to make sure that there's a vehicle, that if that does not happen with the state legislature, we can still move forward," he said.
While things are still up in the air for everything – the special session and both lawsuits – at the end of the day, it's the parents who will see the effects of this the most.
"When we come together as parents and support one another in that process, our voices become louder, McClane said.
The LRSD School Board will meet Wednesday to discuss the lawsuit.