A Bexar County District Judge has approved a request by San Antonio and Bexar County officials that they be allowed to issue mask requirements for local school districts, Texas Public Radio reports.
Judge Antonia Arteaga granted a temporary restraining order preventing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from enforcing a mandate he handed down banning municipalities from requiring public school students to wear masks.
San Antonio and Bexar County sued the Republican governor on Tuesday as a surge in new COVID-19 cases rocks the state just as students are returning to campus for the fall semester.
In her ruling, Arteaga said she didn’t issue the restraining order lightly, adding that the current wave of COVID-19 infections is urgent, according to the TPR report. The decision is temporary, however, pending a Monday hearing, the Texas Tribune reports.
The court victory for San Antonio and Bexar County comes as other municipalities push back on the Republican governor’s orders preventing local officials from issuing mask mandates.
Dallas ISD and Austin ISD announced Monday they will require students to wear masks during the school year, while Houston ISD has scheduled a vote for imposing one. What’s more, the nonprofit Southern Center for Child Advocacy filed suit Sunday night in Travis County seeking to block Abbott’s order.
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This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 10, 2021.
