Northside ISD, Bexar County’s largest school district, plans to keep masks optional for students and personnel for the time being, even though Metro Health has ordered all districts in the county to require face coverings.
In an email to district employees obtained by the Texas Tribune, Superintendent Brian Woods said he’s delaying a mask mandate as Bexar County’s continues its legal fight against Gov. Greg Abbott.
City and county officials won a temporary restraining order against Abbott’s order blocking districts from imposing mask requirements. However, the order is expected to expire next week when a state district judge issues a ruling whether to permanently block the governor’s order.
“There is still much legal and political wrangling to come,” Woods told district employees in the email.
San Antonio City Attorney Andy Segovia told the Tribune he doesn’t expect to pursue legal action against Northside or Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, which also hasn’t adopted a mask mandate. Even so, he warned the districts that not doing so increases the risk to their students.
“Unfortunately, not complying with this mask mandate only increases the possibility that those in their care could be infected with the virus when it’s clear we know it can be avoided,” Segovia said.
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This article appears in Aug 11-24, 2021.