Nearly 2.5% of Garland ISD students do not have to wear a mask in school — despite a districtwide mandate — because their parents requested an exemption late last month.
The Garland ISD school board voted to pass a mask mandate inside schools in mid-August, but left an opportunity for parents opposed to face coverings to have their children opt out.
Parents were permitted to to exempt their child for medical, philosophical or religious reasons by filling out an online form last month.
Garland ISD has now changed its masking guidelines three times this school year. The school district announced this month that it would require them and then changed course, saying it would not.
The district listed 1,331 students (2.486%) who are exempt from wearing a face covering for various reasons, according to data from an open records request. Garland ISD serves more than 53,000 students.
The temporary mask requirement will be in place through Oct. 26, or until further guidance is provided, the district said.
Here’s a breakdown of exemptions to the district’s mask mandate by campus, obtained by The Dallas Morning News from an open records request.
| School name | Enrolled | Total exempt | Percentage exempt | Percentage masked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garland High School | 2399 | 31 | 1% | 99% |
| South Garland High School | 2172 | 17 | 1% | 99% |
| North Garland High School | 2763 | 35 | 1% | 99% |
| Lakeview Centennial High School | 2456 | 28 | 1% | 99% |
| Naaman Forest High School | 2238 | 32 | 1% | 99% |
| Rowlett High School | 2414 | 75 | 3% | 97% |
| Sachse High School | 2900 | 174 | 6% | 94% |
| Austin Academy for Excellence | 975 | 16 | 2% | 98% |
| Bussey Middle School | 895 | 16 | 2% | 98% |
| Sam Houston Middle School | 999 | 6 | 1% | 99% |
| Jackson Technology Center | 1311 | 17 | 1% | 99% |
| O’Banion Middle School | 969 | 11 | 1% | 99% |
| Classical Center at Brandenburg Middle School | 1090 | 28 | 3% | 97% |
| Sellers Middle School | 902 | 7 | 1% | 99% |
| Webb Middle School | 1070 | 13 | 1% | 99% |
| Coyle Middle School | 923 | 25 | 3% | 97% |
| Lyles Middle School | 744 | 10 | 1% | 99% |
| BG Hudson Middle School | 1226 | 77 | 6% | 94% |
| Garland Alternative Education Center | 79 | 0 | 0% | 100% |
| Shrade Middle School | 920 | 48 | 5% | 95% |
| Beaver Technology Center | 553 | 8 | 1% | 99% |
| Bullock Elementary School | 555 | 7 | 1% | 99% |
| Caldwell Elementary School | 397 | 6 | 2% | 98% |
| Centerville Elementary School | 274 | 1 | .36% | 99.64% |
| Cooper Elementary School | 429 | 3 | 1% | 99% |
| Daugherty Elementary School | 780 | 12 | 2% | 98% |
| Freeman Elementary School | 282 | 2 | 1% | 99% |
| Handley Elementary School | 373 | 9 | 2% | 98% |
| Kimberlin Academy for Excellence | 478 | 22 | 5% | 95% |
| Park Crest Elementary School | 337 | 1 | .30% | 99.7% |
| Southgate Elementary School | 461 | 10 | 2% | 98% |
| Watson Technology Center | 524 | 14 | 3% | 97% |
| Weaver Elementary School | 449 | 7 | 2% | 98% |
| Williams Elementary School | 246 | 2 | 1% | 99% |
| Bradfield Elementary School | 480 | 1 | .21% | 99.79% |
| Shorehaven Elementary School | 376 | 3 | 1% | 99% |
| Montclair Elementary School | 487 | 4 | 1% | 99% |
| Walnut Glen Academy | 387 | 24 | 6% | 94% |
| Golden Meadows Elementary School | 447 | 2 | .45% | 99.55% |
| Heather Glen Elementary School | 340 | 11 | 3% | 97% |
| Hillside Academy for Excellence | 473 | 13 | 3% | 97% |
| Davis Elementary School | 524 | 9 | 2% | 98% |
| Roach Elementary School | 397 | 5 | 1% | 99% |
| Ethridge Elementary School | 744 | 6 | 1% | 99% |
| Classical Center at Vial Elementary School | 569 | 16 | 3% | 97% |
| Club Hill Elementary School | 439 | 9 | 2% | 98% |
| Hickman Elementary School | 476 | 10 | 2% | 98% |
| Northlake Elementary School | 483 | 8 | 2% | 98% |
| Toler Elementary School | 448 | 9 | 2% | 98% |
| Rowlett Elementary School | 499 | 30 | 6% | 94% |
| Spring Creek Elementary School | 663 | 15 | 2% | 98% |
| Luna Elementary School | 463 | 25 | 5% | 95% |
| Back Elementary School | 420 | 8 | 2% | 98% |
| Shugart Elementary School | 478 | 4 | 1% | 99% |
| Herfurth Elementary School | 545 | 25 | 5% | 95% |
| Abbett Elementary School | 671 | 35 | 5% | 95% |
| Keeley Elementary School | 619 | 55 | 9% | 91% |
| Robert B. Sewell Elementary School | 676 | 42 | 6% | 94% |
| Stephens Elementary School | 532 | 14 | 3% | 97% |
| Lister Elementary School | 502 | 10 | 3% | 97% |
| Dorsey Elementary School | 586 | 18 | 3% | 97% |
| Steadham Elementary School | 481 | 18 | 4% | 96% |
| Armstrong Elementary School | 742 | 61 | 8% | 92% |
| Pearson Elementary School | 595 | 18 | 3% | 97% |
| Couch Elementary School | 553 | 8 | 1% | 99% |
| Liberty Grove Elementary School | 526 | 17 | 3% | 97% |
| George Washington Carver Elementary School | 678 | 12 | 2% | 98% |
| Cisneros Pre-K Center | 339 | 8 | 2% | 98% |
| Parsons Pre-K Center | 320 | 8 | 3% | 97% |
| District-wide total | 53541 | 1331 | 2.49% | 97.51% |
Editor’s note: Garland ISD has 71 school campuses in the 2021-2022 school year. This list includes 69 campuses. Student mask data are reported from homeroom campuses. The facilities not included in the list only provide elective courses and do not report masking data. All Garland ISD students are accounted for in these data. A list of all the district’s facilities is available online.
