No mask mandates at Texas schools under new executive order, Governor Greg Abbott says
Texas school districts cannot mandate mask usage under an executive order signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday.
The order, which also affects counties and cities, bars local governments from requiring the use of face coverings.
School districts are able to keep their mask rules in place through June 4. After that, students, teachers, staff, parents and visitors can’t be required to wear a mask while on campus, according to Abbott’s office.
“Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities,” Abbott said. “We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans’ liberty to choose whether or not they mask up.”
Abbott in March opened businesses at 100% and removed the state’s mask mandate. He’s previously stressed that state orders supersede local ones, a point made in his March 2 order that states “no person may be required by any jurisdiction to wear or to mandate the wearing of a face covering.”
After Abbott’s March order, Tarrant County and Fort Worth were among the the counties and cities that said they would still require face coverings in their buildings.
But the March order left discretion to the Texas Education Agency and school districts to decide mask rules for schools.
A representative for Fort Worth ISD was not made available for an interview, but in a statement spokesperson Clint Bond said the district is reviewing the news of Abbott’s executive order. The Fort Worth school board is scheduled to meet May 25, where the order may be discussed, he said.
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina called Abbott’s decision “premature.” She pointed out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the use of masks and social distancing in schools for the remainder of the school year.
“FDA approval for vaccinating children aged 12-15 was issued only last week, and there has been no approval for vaccinating children younger than 12,” Molina said. “The governor should have waited until the CDC issues new mask guidelines for the 2021-22 school year before acting on masking requirements in public schools.”
Abbott’s Tuesday order comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new recommendations for fully vaccinated people. The CDC said fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask, except where required by law or other guidance, such as in a business.
The governor’s order has prompted Fort Worth and Tarrant County to no longer require masks. Both governments no longer had local mask mandates in place following the removal of the statewide mask order, but did require face coverings in government facilities.
Arlington does not have a city mask mandate, including at its public facilities for employees or visitors, spokesperson Susan Schrock said in an email Tuesday.
Facilities that are exempt from the order include state-supported living centers, government-owned or operated hospitals, Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities, Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities, and county and municipal jails, according to Abbott’s office.
Fort Worth Public Health Officer Brandon Bennett said the city is seeking clarification on whether masks can be required at vaccination clinics on city property and for police officers, firefighters and medics who may go into situations where there could be exposure to infectious disease.
The city had previously said that as of June 1 masks wouldn’t be required for fully vaccinated people working at or visiting a city facility in light of the CDC guidance. Abbott’s order pushes up that timeline, and extends the building openings to anyone, regardless of vaccination status, according to the city.
“We want to make sure we’re in compliance with the governor’s order and also make sure that we provide a safe working environment and a safe visiting environment to the public,” Bennett said.
At this point, it’s about personal responsibility, said Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley. Those that are fully vaccinated can be comfortable not wearing a mask, but those that aren’t, still need to be wary, he said. With vaccines widely available and Tarrant County’s coronavirus cases and hospitalizations low, Whitley believes it’s the right time to let go of the masks.
Bennett shared a similar view.
“At the end of the day, we are in a very good spot right now, and we’re ready to continue to move away from a lot of these protective safeguards that have been in place for many months,” Bennett said.
While Whitley agrees with mask mandates being thrown out, he doesn’t like that the governor is once again making statewide decisions for local officials.
“I’ve got total control. That’s what he’s implying he has,” Whitley said. “Local elected officials should be the ones making those decisions because they have the pulse of their communities. Not somebody sitting in Austin with what they feel like is the political temperature.”
Governments that violate the order could be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 beginning at 11:59 p.m. on May 21, the order reads.
This story was originally published May 18, 2021 at 1:25 PM with the headline "No mask mandates at Texas schools under new executive order, Governor Greg Abbott says."
