The judge said that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser exceeded her authority when she imposed the vaccine mandate for the city’s workforce, which should have been passed into law by the D.C. Council instead.

The Big Board can request a hearing to appeal the decision, but has not yet done so, according to an ABRA spokesperson.

Just 45% of Metro’s more than 12,000 workers are fully vaccinated.

Teachers’ unions and many parents are on board with the safety precautions, which come only weeks before schools reopen to students.