Sotomayor denies NYC teachers’ request to stop vaccine mandate

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has denied to block a New York City vaccine mandate for all public school employees.

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vaccine mandate requires all school staff, including teachers to be vaccinated against the virus by 5PM on Oct. 01.

Failing to comply will result in possible termination if not an unpaid leave till fall of 2022.

According to the mayor’s office, over 85% of the public school staff have been vaccinated, with substitutes ready to fill in the spot for those booted.

“By October 1, 2021, all Department of Education (DOE) employees — including teachers, principals, custodians, and all central office staff — must submit proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. DOE employees who have received only the first dose of a 2-dose vaccine as of October 1 are expected to receive the 2nd dose within 45 days of the first dose to remain compliant,” the mayor’s office announced in a statement.

In response to the announcement, NYC public schools’ employees asked the Supreme court to intervene and block the mandate.

Justice Sotomayor who was appointed to the court in 2009 denied the request without providing a reason or sending the request to the full court.

In the past, Justice Amy Coney Barrett had also denied a similar request by students of Indiana University and allowed schools to go ahead with their vaccine requirements.

With no virtual learning this year, mayor de Blasio is set to stick by his mandate, and those who haven’t been partially vaccinated by October 01 will be considered on unpaid leave.

Substitutes will replace them for almost a year unless the government changes its stance, or the teachers comply or crack a deal.