Missoula judge denies halting mask requirements in schools

In this Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 file photo people gather to protest mask requirements in schools in front of the state capitol in Helena, Mont. 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. (AP Photo/Iris Samuels,File)