TEXAS SUPREME COURT ORDER TEMPORARILY ALLOWS MASK MANDATES IN SCHOOLS

  

A ruling from the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday will allow school districts to – at least temporarily – require masks in classrooms.

The court ruled against Governor Greg Abbott’s request to block a mask mandate in Travis County, citing a technicality that requires the matter to be heard in an appellate court before the Texas Supreme Court.

The ruling temporarily leaves in place restraining orders issued by state District Judge Jan Soifer, allowing Harris County and eight school districts to mandate masks in public schools for now.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) said it will not issue guidance on mask requirements and that Abbott’s mask order will not be enforced until legal matters are resolved.

The TEA updated its public health guidance on Thursday to state that school districts now need to notify teachers, staff, and the families of all students of a positive COVID-19 case in a classroom or extracurricular or after-school program.  Past guidance did not require school districts to notify parents of a close contact with the virus.

Per the guidance, districts are still required to notify their local health department and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) of positive cases.  Local public health entities have the authority to investigate cases in schools.