New York Judge Blocks State Mask Mandate, But Education Department Has Other Plans

After a state Supreme Court judge struck down New York’s mask mandate on Monday evening, the state’s Department of Education said that schools have to continue to follow the mandate. “It is [the department’s] understanding that the Department of Health will appeal the Nassau County Supreme Court decision, which will result in an automatic stay that will unambiguously restore the mask rule until such time as an appellate court issues a further ruling,” the Education Department said in a statement to local media outlets. “Therefore, schools must continue to follow the mask rule.” The agency pointed to “conflicting rulings” in other lawsuits that resulted in judges upholding the state’s mask mandate. A spokesman with the New York City Department of Education told PIX-11 that students need to attend New York City schools with masks on Tuesday. “Mandatory masking has also been DOE policy since before the state adopted its mandate, so …  » Read full article