As a legal battle has played out in Tallahassee over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to prevent school mask mandates, attorneys for the state are trying to fend off a separate lawsuit alleging violations of federal laws designed to protect the rights of students with disabilities.

Parents of children with disabilities are asking a federal judge in South Florida for a preliminary injunction against an executive order that DeSantis issued July 30 to try to block school districts from requiring students to wear masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.