Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced to have banned all the mandatory mask requirements from public school districts in the state starting next month. The school districts have been given an extension till June 4th to comply with the orders.

Notably, this decision defies the student safety guidelines issued by the U.S.  Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) against COVID-19. For those who are unaware, the guidelines ask students to wear masks for the academic year 2020-21.

Texas’s recent development comes at a time when the whole country is lifting the mask mandates in public places after the CDC released new guidelines. These relaxations are proof of the gradual decline in active cases, hospital admissions, and fatalities.

The Governor has barred local governing bodies from enforcing mask requirements starting 21st May. If the reports are to be believed, the state has also issued orders to penalize officials USD 1,000 who refuse to comply with the governor’s mandates.

This move is believed to be in support of his Republican counterpart and Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis.

Abbott claims that Texas has effectively managed to curb the COVID-19 outbreak by vaccinating several people, providing antibody remedial treatments, as well as by maintaining all the necessary health and safety measures. Hence, it goes against the liberty of the people to carry forward the mask mandate, the Governor added.

For a while, several Republicans have been vocal against the mandatory mask requirements, citing it as a violation of personal freedom. Texas had lifted the mask mandate approximately 10 weeks ago with declining COVID-19 cases.

Most of the state governors, meanwhile, have left the decision of relaxing the norms at the local authority’s disposal. Surprisingly, Texas being the second most populous state in the country, has been quite swift in relaxing the COVID-19 norms.

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-05-18/Texas-bars-mask-mandates-for-schools-defying-latest-cdc-guidance