As Some Governors Forbid Mask Mandates, Schools Are Pushing Back

The start of the school year has revived polarization over masking, as students head back into classrooms while the Delta variant spreads and children under 12 remain unvaccinated. School districts in states where Republican governors have prohibited mask mandates are beginning to defy those orders, arguing it’s a necessary measure in the face of an “urgent crisis.” Dallas Independent School District and Austin Independent School District (ISD), two of the largest districts in Texas, announced Monday that all students and staff would be required to wear masks beginning this week, even though Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had banned schools from requiring masks. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “This is a temporary solution to a situation that has gotten very grave,” Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said of the mask requirement at a press conference on Monday, describing pandemic conditions as “significantly more urgent” due to the highly contagious Delta variant. “I am responsible for the safety, health and welfare of each and every one of our students and our staff,” Stephanie Elizalde, superintendent of the Austin ISD, said at a school board meeting on Monday. “If I err, I must err on the side of ensuring that we’ve been overly cautious, not that we have fallen short.” In a statement, Abbott’s office said “the time for mask mandates is over” and parents should be able to dec...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 nationpod News Source Type: news