Dispute over School Absence During Coronavirus Pandemic Continues
Published: Wednesday, Oct 18th 2023, 17:10
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The Wallis canton in Switzerland is in the midst of a legal dispute over the school absence of a child during the time of the coronavirus pandemic. The Wallis Education Department has filed an appeal with the Federal Court after the parents were acquitted by the Cantonal Court in August. The appeal is based on two apparently contradictory rulings made by the Cantonal Court in this case. The parents had kept their fifth-grade child out of school for about 14 days due to the mask requirement during a coronavirus infection wave and were successfully defended against the imposed fine of 600 francs. The Cantonal Court justified the acquittal by stating that it was not reasonable to force parents to expose their child to great health risks. In another case from October 2022, the parents had sued against the mask requirement itself, arguing that it violated their personal freedom and the protection of children. The court ruled that the decision of the State Council to introduce the mask requirement was appropriate and proportionate given the information available to it and was the most suitable measure to prevent the closure of schools without replacement.
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