Douglas County Health Department

Douglas County Health Department

Douglas County NewsPress

March 7, 2020 

Political News

Douglas County’s public health order requiring all entities to allow exemptions to mask mandates has been temporarily paused by a judge, according to a March 4 order.

District Court Judge Jeffrey Holmes granted the motion for a preliminary injunction, writing that plaintiffs in the case — a local Montessori school and a hair salon — proved all the necessary criteria to do so.

“The DCHD purported to issue its order creating exemptions from mask wearing requirements on October 8, 2021, which was well before the DCHD arguably had the authority to issue such an order,” according to Holmes’ order.

That temporary pause on the BoH public health order will remain in place until a full trial can take place. 

The Douglas County Health Department declined an interview on the judge’s order, saying the case is still under litigation.

“The public health order does not prohibit local businesses – nor anyone else – from mandating masks and consistent with good public health practices, the Public Health Order requires businesses to allow individual exemptions for health reasons,” according to an emailed statement attributed to board president Doug Benevento.

Holmes also found there was “danger of real, immediate and irreparable injury” if the public health order continues to be enforced and the plaintiffs have no legal remedy.

“If the plaintiffs were compelled to close their businesses because of unwillingness to risk the dangers of unmasked patrons, they face a potential loss of business that would be difficult to quantify and employees would lose their employment,” according to the order. “If plaintiffs comply with the order, they face compromising their health, that of their families, their employees and their customers.”

The school and hair salon also face criminal charges and possible jail time for failing to comply with exemption requirements of the public health order, Holmes wrote. 

Douglas County News Press

Oct 20, 2021 

Political News

Highlight:  "The Douglas County School District and families of students at high risk of COVID-19 are suing the Douglas County Health Department in federal court, alleging a public health order allowing people to opt out of masking rules in the county violates civil rights of students with disabilities. 

The lawsuit (download here) asks the courts to block enforcement of the county's BoH health order, which also limited quarantines for people exposed to COVID-19.  The school district’s goal is to go back to its policy requiring universal masking among people 2 and older in its buildings as a COVID safety measure. That policy allows medical exemptions to masking. 

“No parent should be forced to choose between sending their children to school and risking their health, and no family should have to choose between access to learning and putting their child’s life in jeopardy,” district Board President David Ray said in a statement. “The message is simple: In these very complex times, our most vulnerable children cannot be left behind.”

The lawsuit was filed today  in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado."  

Denver Post, Editorial

September 3, 2021 

Highlight: "Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon is a political coward. Faced with a tough task — telling parents and kids that for the good of the community they must wear masks in schools — Laydon and his fellow shells of public officials cowed to an angry mob that makes up a minority of voices in their sprawling suburban community.  

The commission voted to leave Tri-County Health because public health officials ordered that school districts require teachers, staff and students to wear masks. This is a myopic and selfish decision born of an arrogance that makes people like Laydon unable to fathom that suffering occurring abroad or even in Southern states could happen in his community.  Laydon’s victory speech would be laughable if there weren’t children gasping for air in hospitals across the nation right now."