A federal judge in Philadelphia has ruled against a Montgomery County school district's attempt to lift its mask mandate, adding to the discord among recent decisions on the issue in Pennsylvania and creating a partial split with Western District federal court rulings on the issue.

In a 60-page opinion issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of five parents and three schoolchildren who sued the Perkiomen Valley School District to stop officials from lifting a mask mandate in favor of allowing optional mask-wearing in schools.