Justice Amy Barrett Stuns Conservatives, Denies Request to Block Indiana University's Vaccine Mandate

By Samantha Chang August 13, 2021 at 1:15pm

Justice Amy Coney Barrett showed once again that appointing her to the U.S. Supreme Court was one of the biggest mistakes former President Donald Trump made during his time in the White House.

In her latest betrayal of conservatives, Barrett on Thursday summarily declined to grant an emergency injunction to eight college students who sued to block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate.

The mandate requires the school’s 90,000 students and 40,000 employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Barrett has jurisdiction over the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the lawsuit originated.

In their Aug. 6 filing, the eight students said Indiana University’s vaccination policy violates their “constitutional rights to bodily integrity and autonomy.”

Six of the students had gotten a religious exemption, but self-proclaimed “devout Catholic” Barrett apparently didn’t care about their religious beliefs. She did not consult her fellow justices or explain why she refused to hear the case.

As it stands now, the students will be forced to get vaccinated if they want to return to campus this fall pursuant to Indiana University’s vaccine mandate.

From a big-picture perspective, Barrett’s refusal to intervene suggests the Supreme Court does not want to get pulled into culture wars over the coronavirus vaccine.

In their filing urging Barrett to block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate, the students said their refusal to get vaccinated was based on legitimate concerns, “including underlying medical conditions, having natural antibodies, and the risks associated with the vaccine.”

Should colleges be allowed to impose vaccine mandates?

The students argued that they’re adults who are entitled to make their own medical treatment decisions and they have a constitutional right to bodily autonomy.

“IU, however, is treating its students as children who cannot be trusted to make mature decisions and has substituted itself for both the student and her attending physician, mandating a choice which is the student’s to make,” they said in their court filing.

The plaintiffs also said it makes no scientific sense to force college students to submit to an experimental vaccine when “the risk of serious morbidity and mortality from COVID for those under 30 is close to zero.”

The students pointed to research suggesting that the vaccine is especially risky for young people.

“There are emerging trends showing that the vaccine is especially risky for those 18-29, including myocarditis, Bell’s Palsy, Pulmonary Embolus, Pulmonary Immunopathology, and severe allergic reaction causing anaphylactic shock,” they wrote.

The students urged Barrett to hear their case because it would give the Supreme Court the opportunity to provide much-needed guidance to the lower courts regarding the flood of vaccine mandate cases that will no doubt flood the court system.

But just as she did when it came to hearing Trump’s election lawsuit, Barrett punted.

This cowering makes you wonder why the mom of seven aggressively sought a seat on the highest court in the land if she doesn’t want to weigh in on critical issues that require judicial interpretation.

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Or in this case, get off the bench.

Barrett’s craven decision was slammed by numerous conservatives on social media.

“Another unfortunate Trump establishment choice that conservatives rallied behind without looking at her record,” one Twitter user remarked.

Another unfortunate Trump establishment choice that conservatives rallied behind without looking at her record. https://t.co/v81ptFmcot

— Jonathan T Gilliam (@JGilliam_SEAL) August 13, 2021

Another person lamented: “Yet another ‘conservative judge’ who isn’t conservative at all.”

Yet another “conservative judge” who isn’t conservative at all. https://t.co/UjuC2Frfzl #FoxNews

— Delta Con (@DeltaCon5) August 13, 2021

A self-professed Georgia Republican tweeted: “So Justice Barrett denies the RIGHTS of students who don’t want to get covid vaccine at Indiana University ALL BY HERSELF rather than consulting w/other colleagues on the court & without hearing from the school.”

So Justice Barrett denies the RIGHTS of students who don’t want to get covid vaccine at Indiana University ALL BY HERSELF rather than consulting w/other colleagues on the court & without hearing from the school. https://t.co/w6XXmxAxXD

— Grandy (@thewoman62) August 13, 2021

Another Twitter user said that “ACB has been nothing but a disappointment so far.”

He explained, “One of my friends (who has a heart condition and is advised by his doctor not to take the vaccine) has been directly affected by this decision. He now must withdraw from IU and transfer elsewhere.”

One of my friends (who has a heart condition and is advised by his doctor not to take the vaccine) has been directly affected by this decision. He now must withdraw from IU and transfer elsewhere.

ACB has been nothing but a disappointment so far.https://t.co/dRVNhi0iLx

— Tim Yonts (@TA_Yonts) August 13, 2021

The Democrats and their corporate media partners are rabidly ratcheting up the coronavirus fearmongering as we inch closer to the 2022 midterms and the 2024 general election.

This undoubtedly will be weaponized to make the case for more mass mail-in voting — a process vulnerable to potential fraud.

This is a threat to election integrity, and having spineless “conservatives” in both Congress and the Supreme Court means no one is watching out for freedom-loving Americans.

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