Group Demands Resignations and Damages Paid for Brainerd Schools Mask Mandate

22 parents in the Brainerd school district are demanding the resignation of school board members and district administrators while demanding complaint damages be paid out because of the district’s previous mask mandate.

During a public portion of the Brainerd School Board meeting Wednesday, parents passed out documents to the school board members for notice of wrongdoing and demand for redress. They are demanding each board member, as well as superintendent Laine Larson and assistant superintendent Heidi Hahn, resign and each pay every parent complainant $250,000 in damage.

By implementing a mask mandate, the parents believe the board acted in violation of the law.

“Here we are again, and it’s interesting to me to find out more information about why you would possibly not listen to the public on the illegal mask mandate issued on our kids and continued to push through with your own ways regardless,” said parent Nick Hillman. “You are violating are violating parent and child rights.”

“Some of you have failed to honor the oaths [of office] and overstepped unlawfully in mandating COVID measures such as, but not limited to, masking, tracing, lockdowns, quarantines, and reserving the right to enforce such mandates again whenever you see fit,” said parent Julie Becker. “You are personally and publically being served notice of claim and affidavit of fact. You have 48 hours to comply to the demands outlined in the notice of claim, and if no action is taken a filing will be made against your insurance.”

The face covering mandate, which is no longer in effect, required staff, students, and all visitors to district buildings to wear a mask inside of them. The district’s legal counsel says that these parents have no legal basis for the demands.