Two of Texas’ largest school districts are imposing mask requirements, defying Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that prohibits such mandates in schools.
Superintendents in Dallas and Austin separately announced the requirements on Monday with the leaders saying that masking will help keep students and staff safe and slow the spread of the delta variant of Covid-19.
“As the superintendent of the second-largest district in Texas, I’m responsible for everything. Most importantly, the safety of our students and staff and families,” Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said at a press conference streamed by NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.
“So, I need to implement whatever safety protocols I feel are in the best interest of our school district,” he said, adding that the situation with the delta variant has gotten “significantly more urgent.”
The order, which begins Tuesday, requires all students, staff and visitors to wear a face mask while at the district’s 230 schools.
A message on its website says that the mask requirement is temporary but does not say how long it will be in place.
“We will continue to monitor the cases in consultation with the Dallas County Health and Human Services,” the district said.
The Austin Independent School District, the fifth-largest in the state, has also imposed the same mask mandate. It begins on Wednesday for the district’s 125 schools.
Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde made the announcement during a school board meeting on Monday. Board president Geronimo M. Rodriguez Jr. said at the meeting that the mask requirement for students, staff and visitors is to help protect children who cannot be vaccinated at this time.
Covid-19 shots are not yet available for children under 12.
“I am responsible for the safety, health and welfare of each and every one of our students and our staff,” Elizalde said in a statement. “If I err, I must err on the side of ensuring that we’ve been overly cautious, not that we have fallen short.”
Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, issued an executive order in May barring school districts from requiring masks, as well as other government entities. His office did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday.
The Austin school system pointed to recent guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in making its decision, saying that the agency recommended universal indoor masking at schools. The district said it saw a lower coronavirus positivity rate inside schools than in the community at large when it required masks during the last school year.
Dallas school leaders said county health officials have reported that hospitalizations are rising at a fast rate among all age groups, including children.
“Students under 12 are not eligible for a vaccine, however, school attendance is mandatory, and virtual learning is not an option at this time,” the Dallas district said. “Governor Abbott’s order does not limit the district’s rights as an employer and educational institution to establish reasonable and necessary safety rules for its staff and students. Dallas ISD remains committed to the safety of our students and staff.”
Houston, the state’s largest district, is considering a mask requirement after new Superintendent Millard House II asked trustees to vote on re-instituting a mandate, according to NBC affiliate KPRC. The board will take up the matter Thursday.