Court Rules Refusal To Wear COVID-19 Mask Isn't Free Speech

A group of New Jersey residents lost their fight in court for free speech. On Feb. 5, a Third Circuit Court of Appeals court ruled in favor of school officials in Freehold and Cranford, New Jersey, after residents refused to wear face masks at school board meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. In two lawsuits filed by George Falcone and Gwyneth Murray-Nolan, the plaintiffs claim not wearing a mask constituted protected speech under the First Amendment. In early 2022, Falcone participated in a Freehold Township school board meeting while masks were...