Missoula judge denies request to halt mask requirements in schools

In this Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, file photo, people gather to protest mask requirements in schools in front of the Montana Capitol in Helena. A district judge in Missoula has denied a request by several parents to halt mask mandates in Missoula schools while a legal challenge of the mandates is underway. The parents sued several Missoula schools in August over their mask requirements, arguing they violated the state's constitution, which guarantees individuals the right to make their own medical decisions. (Iris Samuels/Associated Press)