A Dallas school district is defying Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) ban on mask mandates in schools and will require all staff, students and visitors to wear face coverings on district property beginning Tuesday.
The Dallas Independent School District (ISD) said the new measure comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dallas County health officials have increased the local COVID-19 alert to level red, and reported that hospitalizations are increasing at the quickest pace since the beginning of the pandemic, including among children.
The district noted in a statement that while no vaccines are authorized for children under the age of 12, “school attendance is mandatory, and virtual learning is not an option at this time.”
It said it will provide masks and sanitizer at buildings within the district and continue contact tracing in “keeping with the top priority of safeguarding the health and well-being of staff and students.”
The new policy comes after Abbott signed an executive order in May that prohibited “governmental entities in Texas,” including school districts, counties, cities, public health authorities and government officials, from imposing mask mandates.
The governor’s office said that individuals who try to violate the order by requiring masks be worn could be subject to a fine of up to $1,000.
The Dallas ISD addressed Abbott’s executive order in its statement, writing that the governor demand “does not limit the district’s rights as an employer and educational institution to establish reasonable and necessary safety rules for its staff and students.”
“Dallas ISD remains committed to the safety of our students and staff,” the district added.
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Dallas schools to defy governor's order and require masks https://t.co/qOimIAmxk5 pic.twitter.com/cur9BXAdDw
— The Hill (@thehill) August 9, 2021
Second large Texas school district defies governor and requires mask https://t.co/w2UKl4thpg pic.twitter.com/ksw26UlOEn
— The Hill (@thehill) August 10, 2021
The Austin Independent School District announced that it will require masks for students and staff members, a local Austin NPR station reported.Good! These governors need to be put in their places.
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