Two New York mothers are suing their children's public school district for causing "emotional distress" by enforcing mask-wearing despite the overturning of a state mandate.

The lawsuit comes after dozens of parents have consistently challenged the COVID-19 protocols implemented by the Riverhead Central School District (RCSD), located on Long Island. During much of the pandemic, RCSD students were required to wear masks throughout the school day.

The policy, which began in August 2021, has been accused of being "cruel" and "unusual" due to alleged repercussions students would face if they did not comply.

Our children are ridden with anxiety because it has been drilled into their heads for a year and a half that they must put on a mask or risk consequences," parent Monique Parsons said during a school board meeting that August, "such as being made to sit on opposite sides of the class of their classmates."

Parsons was one of several parents who took to August school board meetings to oppose the policy.

A New York State mandate requiring members of all public entities, including students and staff of state school districts, to wear masks was overturned in January 2022. However, RCSD reportedly notified families that same night that masking would still be enforced throughout its buildings, citing recommendationsfrom the state's Department of Education.

Parsons and fellow parent Jennifer Venth claim their children attended Pulaski Street Elementary School and Riverhead Middle School the next day without wearing masks. The students were allegedly directed to alternate classrooms, despite exhibiting a lack of COVID-19 symptoms.

Parsons and Venth are accusingRCSD of inflicting "emotional distress" and endangering their children's welfare by separating them from their peers "against their will." They also argue that the district violated the students' rights by discriminating based on socioeconomic status.

They’re segregating them. They’re not educating them. And it’s unacceptable and unconstitutional,” Parsons said during a mask protest she helped organized that same month.

RCSD's school board voted to end its mask enforcement in March 2022. However, Parsons and Venth are looking for the district to "serve as an example" to prevent others from "harming students under the guise of furthering the public good."

New York is one of several states where public school districts have seen legal challenges to pandemic-era requirements.

The National Desk (TND) has reached out to RCSD for comment but has not heard back. This story will be updated if a response is received.