A Lithuanian court has ruled against a group of parents claiming that the state violate the law when it imposed school restrictions and required remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Regional Administrative Court said Wednesday that the government and health authorities acted within their legal powers when introducing quarantine measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus and protecting public health and lives.
The court found that the restrictions on in-person schooling were temporary, proportionate and regularly reviewed based on the epidemiological situation and public needs.
The case was brought by the Lithuanian Parents’ Forum, an NGO which represented around 50 individuals and sought 100 euros in nonmaterial damages for each claimant. The group argued that the suspension of classroom learning and the requirement for voluntary preventive testing to return to schools violated children’s right to quality education and caused emotional harm.
The court dismissed those claims, ruling that the measures did not amount to unlawful actions or medical experiments, noting that the testing conducted in schools was voluntary.
The decision can be appealed.
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