University System of Maryland among schools facing vaccine lawsuit

As more and more public agencies and private businesses mandate the COVID-19 vaccine, lawsuits are stacking up.

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - As more and more public agencies and private businesses mandate the COVID-19 vaccine, lawsuits are stacking up.

Now one has been filed against the University System of Maryland.

One employee from the university’s law school and two students from Towson University are plaintiffs.

They aren’t speaking publicly at this time, according to their attorney.

They’re joining the club of people filing suit across the country, including health care workers, teachers and firefighters.

The cases often argue a vaccine mandate violates bodily autonomy and the right to decline medical treatment.

In August, FOX 5 spoke to a George Mason law professor who filed suit. Todd Zywicki argued he had natural immunity because he already had COVID-19 and was being regularly tested for antibodies.

George Mason professor suing school over vaccine mandate

A George Mason University law professor is suing the school over its vaccine mandate, arguing he shouldn't have to get vaccinated because he has natural immunity from COVID-19 antibodies.

Zywicki was represented by the New Civil Liberties Alliance. Attorney Jenin Younes said the case was dropped because the university gave Zywicki a medical exemption from the vaccine, but for a different reason.

George Mason said it’s not granting exemptions based on natural immunity and a spokesperson said the school can’t comment on employees’ exemption status.

New Civil Liberties Alliance is involved in other vaccine mandate cases, and Younes acknowledges thus far, courts have been siding with schools.

"The employee mandates, so far, have mostly been upheld at universities," Younes said. "I think that things will change a little bit when a lot of these mandates are resulting from the Biden administration’s order. Because I think there are real legal questions about whether the federal government can just issue, especially the executive, can just issue a vaccine mandate and require private employers to impose a vaccine mandates on employees."

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A new plan by the Biden administration would require private businesses with more than 100 employees to mandate vaccines or a weekly Covid-19 test.

Already attorneys general in 24 states are threatening to sue.

While we haven’t seen a lot of of success thus far, we know judges opinions can vary.

Last week a New York judge temporarily blocked that state from forcing medical workers to be vaccinated.

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