A Los Angeles charter school is being sued by students and parents for restricting the unvaccinated from attending class under a vaccine mandate.
The lawsuit alleges New West Charter School in L.A. has violated California law and had "discriminated against" and "segregated" students "behind barriers."
"Female students were segregated, harassed, and threatened with suspension just for trying to participate in their classes, and we will prove in court that this is unjust and unlawful," Let Them Breathe's Sharon McKeeman told Fox News.
Let Them Breathe is a nonprofit that has sought to represent students and parents against mask mandates, and now vaccine mandates through Let Them Choose.
The nonprofit's Twitter account shared videos of the alleged segregation and discrimination when the school reopened Jan. 18.
"We're being refused of the right to attend school," a student says in one video.
"We feel segregated and discriminated against," another added.
New West Charter School began a vaccine mandate after winter break and told Fox News all but six students complied.
"Six students who did not follow the new policy still attempted to participate in classes," the school told Fox News.
"The students proceeded to stage a sit-in directly behind designated areas for student PCR screenings on campus which was cordoned off with tape. New West Charter School administration notified local authorities who came to campus and helped alleviate the disruption."
McKeeman said the lawsuit against the school is similar to the one won against the San Diego Unified School District's vaccine mandate in December, according to the report.
"We have filed a lawsuit against New West, arguing that they are violating state law by mandating this new vaccine, not allowing personal belief exemptions, and segregating and denying unvaccinated students their education," McKeeman told Fox News.
"New West Charter School’s student vaccine mandate is even more egregious than San Diego Unified's," she added.
New West Charter School told Fox News it did provide an "independent study option," but it also warned parents not to send their kids to the school.
"Parents who chose not to vaccinate their children knew what options they had available other than returning to campus," the school added.
New West Charter Governance Council has come out supporting its vaccine mandate and denounced objections from "individuals not affiliated with the school."
"While we are extremely disappointed in the actions of a small group of families who do not support the vaccination policy, the council and NWC parents believe it is the right thing to do for all our students," the council told Fox News. "It is unfortunate that individuals not affiliated with the school are using our children for their political gain."