Justice Sotomayor denies NYC teachers' request to block vaccine mandate

SCOTUS shuts down request by NYC teachers to block vax mandate

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied a request for an emergency injunction that would have stopped New York City's vaccine mandate for Department of Education staff.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has denied a request by a group of New York City teachers to block the city's vaccine mandate for Department of Education staff.

Sotomayor did not request an additional briefing and also did not refer the request to the full court.

As the Supreme Court Justice overseeing the Second Circuit, Sotomayor has the discretion to address emergency applications on her own.

Four New York Teachers had claimed in a petition that a vaccine mandate had violated their right to due process and equal protection.

The roughly 148,000 school employees in New York City had until 5 p.m. Friday to get a least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination or face suspension without pay when schools open on Monday.

As of Friday morning, 90% of Department of Education employees, 93% of teachers, and 98% of principals have been vaccinated, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

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