Parent files lawsuit against school district, alleging her son contracted COVID-19 from a classmate

According to The Associated Press, a Wisconsin woman is suing her son’s school district, claiming he contracted COVID-19 from a classmate.

Shannon Jensen filed a federal court lawsuit on Oct. 5 against the Waukesha School District and school board, seeking an injunction requiring the district to follow CDC guidelines.

Jensen’s lawsuit claims that the school board removed student masking requirements and other COVID-19 restrictions in May, and that one of Jensen’s son’s classmates had coronavirus symptoms but did not wear a mask to school.

According to the lawsuit, Jensen’s son was seated next to the symptomatic classmate and, despite wearing a mask, became infected with the virus. Jensen’s other two children later became ill with COVID-19.

The Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC is funding the lawsuit. Kirk Bangstad, the company’s owner, has criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic. Last year, he ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Republican state representative Rob Swearingen.

The PAC also issued a fiery statement on its blog about the lawsuit, in response to numerous press inquiries about the legal effort.

“Our ultimate goal has always been to bring a class action lawsuit against all Wisconsin school districts that aren’t protecting kids, teachers, and communities, but we had to start somewhere,” it said.

Schools have become a battleground for pandemic politics, with many Republican officials across the country opposing masking requirements and even attempting to prohibit school districts from enforcing their own rules.