Not wearing mask during COVID-19 outbreak isn’t protected by free speech, court rules

A federal appeals court in New Jersey ruled Monday that residents’ refusal to wear face masks at a school board meeting during the COVID-19 pandemic is not protected as a free speech right. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling in two similar cases that stemmed from lawsuits against officials in Freehold and Cranford, New Jersey. The plaintiffs refused to wear masks during public meetings and they say they were retaliated against by the school board, The Associated Press reported. “In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal,...