BOARDMAN, Ohio - Less than a week after a group of parents sued against the mask mandate in Boardman Local Schools, several parents from New Castle and Grove City have joined a federal lawsuit against the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Pennsylvania acting secretary of health and acting deputy secretary of education.
 
The suit wants the court to issue an injunction against school mask mandates issued by the state. It claims UPMC has told parents it will not honor requests for medical exemptions from mask-wearing.
 

"I haven't really heard of that occurring anyplace else," says Valley attorney Matt Mangino. He calls UPMC's position in this lawsuit 'troubling'.

"A healthcare provider...has a responsibility to look at every patient who comes in and make a patient by patient decision as to whether a mask would interfere with that student's ability to learn, or cause other side effects detrimental to that young person," Mangino said.

The Boardman lawsuit is awaiting a ruling in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Mangino says there's a better chance of proving cause for a permanent injunction versus the temporary one the Boardman parents want.
 

"That has already been decided in other Ohio county courts where they've found it's not irreparable harm," said Mangino, adding that the parents may go for a permanent injunction, since that doesn't require them to prove irreparable harm.

And at least right now, it appears the federal suit in Pennsylvania may have a better chance of holding up in court.

"For a healthcare provider to say we're not even going to consider these exemptions...I think has potential consequences," Mangino said.

You can read more on the lawsuit filed in PA HERE, and the one filed in Boardman HERE.