Virginia Supreme Court dismisses mask mandate petition

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

LEESBURG, Va. (AP) — The Supreme Court of Virginia has rejected a petition from parents that sought to invalidate Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order prohibiting school systems from enforcing mask mandates in the classroom. The opinion issued Monday is a victory for Youngkin and Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who are battling in court on multiple fronts to defend the executive order. But the ruling is far from definitive. In a footnote, the justices say they offer no opinion on the legality of Youngkin’s executive order. The Supreme Court ruling comes days after an Arlington County judge issued an injunction barring enforcement of the mask mandate in response to a separate legal case.