After 781 students quarantine, Texas school district requires masks

[left-of-center2012]

With nearly 800 students currently in quarantine after escalating Covid-19 cases, a central Texas school district has begun requiring masks this week — the latest to reject Gov. Greg Abbott's preference for banning mandates. The Lockhart Independent School District, located south of Austin, has 204 active cases of Covid-19 with the majority being students, schools Superintendent Mark Estrada said in a statement Saturday following a 5-2 vote by the Board of Trustees to enforce wearing masks.

Estrada said the district had to shutter four classes and a student program after 20 percent or more of those students were diagnosed with the coronavirus. In total, the school district said about 13 percent of its roughly 6,100 student population has been quarantined. "We expect there will be a need to close more classes in the coming weeks," Estrada added, "and if any campus should reach 10 percent or more of students campus-wide who are diagnosed with Covid-19, the district may need to begin closing campuses as well, transitioning students to online learning during the temporary campus closure."

In Texas, the state's health agency has recorded a sharp jump in Covid-19 rates, with more than 51,900 positive student cases since it began tracking on Aug. 13 for the 2021-22 school year. The Texas Education Agency said last week that about four dozen school districts, representing about 42,000 students, had to stop offering in-person classes since the start of the school year because of Covid-19.

Abbott, a Republican, has rebuffed calls by Democratic leaders and public health officials to mandate masks ... In a statement last month, the governor's office
reiterated Abbott "has been clear that we must rely on personal responsibility, not government mandates" and that
"every Texan has a right to choose for themselves (excluding abortions?) and their children whether they will wear masks, open their businesses, or get vaccinated."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/another-texas-school-district-defies-governor-requiring-masks-covid-surges-n1278560

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Unlike their idiot governor, the school administration understands the need for masks.

My mind boggles at the idiocy of the Texas government.

Good luck to the schools and their students!

[left-of-center2012]

2. How many of those parents vote GOP?

[brush]

3. How many times do we have to re-learn the same lesson?

It's disheartening. We already know masks help mitigate the spread of covid.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. K&R

[JCMach1]

5. No masks, no quarantine and little to no social distancing in Frisco ISD

(North Dallas Burbs)

I have had appx. 9 direct contact (same class) notifications since my 11yos school year began.

You would literally have to quarantine the whole school.

My son wears KN95 and we are praying his anti-bodies will sort him until vaccine is available.