This is a developing story. There will be frequent updates.
Schools were left in the dark Tuesday when Gov. Greg Abbott announced the end of a statewide mask mandate but offered no guidance for how his decision would impact public classrooms.
Abbott’s latest pandemic-related order noted that schools “may operate” by guidance from the Texas Education Agency. The agency’s most updated health guidance references Abbott’s mask mandate that was issued last July. Updated guidance will come later this week, according to a TEA statement.
Shortly after his announcement, the governor said in a radio interview with Lubbock’s KFYO that he expects the decision will be left up to school boards.
Without clear information to go on, some district officials announced they would continue their mask requirements while others delayed a decision until the state provides more direction.
Dallas ISD officials plan to continue following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including mask requirements.
“As long as I’m given my preference, we’re going to stay status quo with the masks for as long as we can,” said Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, adding that he hopes TEA’s guidance will give districts discretion on related policies.
Absent any new state guidance, Fort Worth ISD also plans to continue all current district COVID-19 practices, a district spokesman said.
Cedar Hill ISD Superintendent Gerald Hudson said his district believes the mask requirement should “continue for the foreseeable future.”
“I will be grateful for the day when we no longer have to wear masks, but we will not suspend this necessary public health measure until the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other medical leaders deem it safe,” Hudson wrote in an email.
Several districts noted in social media posts that they were awaiting more information from the state. Until more guidance comes, Frisco ISD officials said they will continue to require face coverings in schools. Northwest and Lake Dallas ISDs noted that officials there did not have answers Tuesday afternoon on what Abbott’s order would mean for their mask requirements.
Public health guidance from the CDC stresses that the correct use of masks and physical distancing can mitigate the risks associated with reopening campuses as the COVID-19 crisis continues.
Texas campuses have been open throughout the 2020-21 school year with the mask requirement in place. About 56% of students are attending school in person while the rest are learning remotely.
“The on school learning environment has proven to be very safe given all of the mediation efforts that our districts have engaged in,” Education Commissioner Mike Morath said at a Tuesday morning legislative committee meeting.
Texas’ school safety protocols have included frequent cleaning of public spaces, widespread mask use and mandated social distancing.
Educator groups expressed dismay over the end of the mask mandate and urged Abbott to change his mind and require masks in public schools.
“Texans want to see all their public schools reopened, but they want to see them reopened safely,” Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said in a statement. “That includes continued safety practices, including mask use, and vaccines for educators.”
Zeph Capo, the president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, said Abbott shirked his responsibility to follow medical advice.
“Every top health official has stressed that even with vaccinations, we need to keep using the most simple tools to stop the spread,” Capo said. “So what does [Abbott] do? He rejects the most effective tool we have — masks.”
The agency’s public health guidance previously required schools to comply with the governor’s mandate that was issued last July. Abbott’s order required eligible people older than 10 to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth when inside public spaces and outdoor spaces where social distancing was not possible.
TEA guidance also permitted districts to require the use of masks or face shields for adults or students deemed developmentally appropriate.
More than 64,500 COVID-19 positive cases among staff and close to 120,000 COVID-19 positive cases among students have been reported since school reopened last August, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The state last updated the data on Feb. 21.
The state estimates about 2.9 million students are learning on campuses. It is not clear how many school staff are working on site this school year.
County judges can issue local COVID-19 mitigation orders if coronavirus hospitalizations rise above 15% of the hospital bed capacity in their region for seven consecutive days, Abbott said Tuesday. Judges can’t enforce penalties for not wearing a face mask, according to the governor’s order.
The director of the CDC has cautioned against rolling back coronavirus precautions in recent days.
“Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know could stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close,” Director Rochelle Walensky said during a White House press briefing Monday.
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