Supreme Court rejects request to block vaccine mandate for NYC teachers

The Supreme Court on Friday declined a request to intervene by a small group of teachers who challenged New York City’s vaccination mandate for public school employees.

Why it matters: A small group of teachers had argued that the mandate violates their religious freedom because the city limits eligibility for religious exemptions by requiring support from a religious official, among other things.

• Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who reviews emergency appeals from the region that includes New York, denied the application for an emergency injunction without comment.

The big picture: Sotomayor in October blocked a challenge to NYC's vaccine requirement for public school teachers and employees, allowing the mandate to remain in place.

• Justice Amy Coney Barrett made a similar decision in August when she rejected a request to block Indiana University's vaccine mandate.