Federal judge strikes down COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates for Head Start students, teachers

JTN:

Afederal judge handed down the latest rebuke of the Biden administration by striking down the federal COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates for teachers and students in the Head Start program.

Judge Terry A. Doughty, on the bench of a U.S. District Court in Louisiana, on Wednesday ruled the federal government cannot require Head Start program teachers, staff and volunteers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, nor can it require adults or students to wear masks. His order “permanently enjoins the vaccine and mask mandate in 24 states,” a release from the Liberty Justice Center says, and impacts 280,000 teachers, staff and volunteers.

In his ruling, he wrote, “The public interest is served by maintaining the constitutional structure and maintaining the liberty of individuals who do not want to take the COVID-19 vaccine. This interest outweighs Agency Defendants’ interests. The public has a liberty interest in not being required to take a vaccine or be fired from their jobs. The public interest must be considered before allowing Agency Defendants to mandate vaccines. Although vaccines arguably serve the public interest, the liberty interests of individuals mandated to take the COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any interest generated by the mandatory administration of vaccines.” more here