Oxford resident sues the city over mask mandate
Signs such as this one on the door of La Bodega restaurant, 11 W. High St., were distributed through the city to businesses all over town after city council passed a mask mandate.
December 9, 2022
Longtime Oxford resident and golf professional Tate Prows, 40, is suing the City of Oxford in federal court over the city’s pandemic-era mass gathering ordinance.
Tate is representing himself in the lawsuit, filed Nov. 28 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
The complaint concerns a mass gathering ordinance that Prows says 23 students were charged with violating during the 2020-2021 school year. They were each fined $500.
Prows said he has no personal connection to anyone that went to Miami University during the COVID-19-impacted years.
“I became involved, frankly, due to my shock at the brazen nature of the ordinance itself. It was so shockingly unconstitutional that I sought a way to remedy it,” he said.
In the complaint, Prows charges that city policymakers repeatedly ended the mask mandate when students left campus. Prows called this “blatant discrimination for young students furthering their education and career goals.”
As well as the city itself, named as defendants in the case are city officials Chief John A. Jones, Michael Smith, Doug Elliott, William Snavely, Chantel Raghu, Jason Bracken, Glenn Ellerbe, David Prytherch and Edna Southard. Prows said he hoped the case would result in the return of fines to students and apologies and resignations from the officials involved.
“I want this behavior to stop and perhaps be a reminder to other municipalities in Ohio to respect the U.S. and Ohio constitutions and more importantly, respect the inherent God-given rights of ‘We the People.’ Government is instituted by the consent of the governed. Government is there to protect the rights of the people, not trample them,” he said.
Snavely, Oxford’s mayor, said he would not comment on pending litigation involving the city.
Whistle Blower • Jan 4, 2023 at 10:06 pm
You better watch out ! If its like Hamilton Ohio and people in charge decided that your a problem to them, they will pay people gift cards or cash to follow you around and harass you ! Rev up there engines at you etc! Look it up ! Targeted Individuals! They have been doing this to me for years! Im sure there are many others then just me ! Good Luck with your case! God Bless !
David Borrego • Dec 10, 2022 at 6:51 am
Great job Tate, thanks for doing this and standing up for what is right!
Scott Smith • Dec 9, 2022 at 7:11 pm
Very pleased about this! During the pandemic, council members became power-hungry and decided to become our overlords instead of our representatives.
Bryanna • Dec 9, 2022 at 12:14 pm
I can’t agree more with Mr. Prows. It was ridiculous. I live in Oxford. And I believe that was bs too!