Supreme Court declines to hear NYC teacher challenge to COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court on Friday declined to hear a lawsuit from a group of New York City teachers challenging a requirement that all public school workers be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The teachers filed the appeal Tuesday and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor declined the application with no explanation. Sotomayor hears emergency appeals for the New York region.

According to court documents, the teachers said the requirement put in place by Mayor Bill de Blasio in October violates their religious freedoms.

Religious and medical exemptions have been handed out to hundreds of employees, but a religious exemption requires supporting documentation from a religious leader.

The city also requires all municipal workers and all non-public school employees to be vaccinated to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.