On Sept. 7, Clark County Superior Court Judge Suzan Clark granted an injunction prohibiting disruptive protests near school campuses. The injunction requires that “protests, rallies, gatherings on or near school premises that disrupt educational services, immediately cease and desist and not be allowed to convene on or within a one-mile radius of any Vancouver School District building or grounds." The injunction is effective as long as state-issued mask mandates are in effect.

“Our district understands and supports free speech and the right for people to be involved in peaceful protests,” said Superintendent Jeff Snell. “However, our first priority is to ensure student and staff safety and an educational environment free of disruption. This responsibility prompted us to present our concerns to the court.”  

The injunction comes after community groups protested outside of Skyview High School about the state mask mandate for schools on Sept. 2 and 3. Protests also were scheduled for Sept. 7, 8 and 9. 

On Friday, Sept. 3, Skyview went into lockdown when protesters left the public sidewalk and came onto the campus. As a precaution, the Skyview incident triggered lockdowns at neighboring Alki Middle School and Chinook Elementary School.

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Washington state has mandated that all students and staff members wear masks or other appropriate facial coverings in schools and on school buses. This state requirement was a legally binding decision by the governor and cannot be overturned by local districts.