Why Fort Worth and Tarrant won’t defy Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates
Fort Worth-area leaders so far have shown no inclination to defy Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s mandate that local governments not be allowed to require face masks, even as COVID hospitalizations surge.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said Wednesday afternoon he had no plans to enact mask requirements indoors or in public places. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker also said she would not require masks.
The decision not to act at the city or county level comes at a time when many other local governments in Texas, including the Fort Worth school district, are defying the governor and instituting mask requirements.
Fort Worth superintendent Kent Scribner said Tuesday he had enacted a mask requirement for all students and employees indoors and on buses. Classes begin Monday.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins on Wednesday issued an executive order requiring masks in schools, businesses and public buildings. His order came hours after a Dallas district judge issued a temporary restraining order halting enforcement of Abbott’s ban.
In San Antonio, health officials also enacted mask requirements after their court challenge of Abbott’s mask ban also was blocked by a temporary restraining order.
In Fort Worth, Whitley said he is in contact with other local elected leaders, school officials and hospital executives to ensure that the resources are available to deal with the growing number of life-threatening COVID cases.
“Where I’m at right now, in talking with the attorneys, to them it’s very clear that the governor has the authority, and if you’re going to follow the law he’s got the authority,” Whitley said in a phone interview. “I want to talk with the cities. I feel very strongly and for the most part I have always said I’m very much in support of local control. I wish I had the local control. If I did, I would have to see what I would do, but at this point, I don’t (have control).”
At the Fort Worth school district, Scribner said he reached a decision to require masks after receiving a letter from 125 physicians at Cook Children’s Health Care System that highlighted the need for masks and social distancing.
Whitley said he had not received a request of that nature from physicians or hospitals.
At Fort Worth’s City Hall, Parker said in a statement that her office is “closely monitoring the legal actions taken by cities and counties across the state on the issue of masking requirements. I am working with Tarrant County leadership to stay in close communications on the evolving needs of hospitals and schools.”
“As we continue to monitor this changing situation we may make adjustments to our approach,” Parker said, “but right now our first priority remains that we must keep making vaccines available and accessible to every person in Fort Worth and communicate to our residents that vaccines are safe, effective and our best tool to get us back to normal.”
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 5:01 PM.
