LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has joined a private school in a lawsuit against Gov. Andy Beshear, arguing that a school closure order not only violated state law but also the First Amendment. Earlier this week, the Democratic governor announced that most K-12 schools must stop in-person classes beginning Monday until the new semester starts in January. The order was issued to help curb the spread of COVID-19. According to news reports, Cameron and Danville Christian Academy on Friday asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order that would block Beshear’s order from being implemented.

“The Governor’s school-closure order prohibits religious organizations from educating children consistent with and according to their faith,” said Attorney General Cameron.  “The ability to provide and receive a private religious education is a core part of the freedoms protected by the First Amendment.  Religiously affiliated schools that follow recommended social-distancing guidelines should be allowed to remain open.  In August, we issued guidance stating that a closure of religious schools during the pandemic would risk violating the U.S. Constitution and state law.  The Governor dismissed the guidance, and he has now forced us to bring a lawsuit to protect the constitutional rights of Kentuckians.”

Beshear's communications representative, Crystal Staley responded in a statement saying, “The Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Governor has the constitutional authority to issue orders to help save lives. This week, Kentucky has a 9% COVID-19 positivity rate, 112 red zone counties and nearly 10,000 students and staff in quarantine. Of those, nearly 1,700 tested positive for the virus. This week, we also lost our first student to the virus – a 15-year-old girl from Ballard County – and a teacher. The Governor has followed the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the White House Coronavirus Task Force and public health experts; and many other Governors across the country are taking similar actions to protect the health and lives of children and families. The attorney general should stop playing politics and instead help Kentuckians understand what it takes to defeat this virus.”