At a special meeting that stretched late into Tuesday night, trustees voted 6-2, with one abstention, to join . It contends that Abbott has no authority to stop school districts from putting mask mandates in place.
Trustee Jacinto Ramos Jr. made the proposal, which Trustee Quinton Phillips supported with enthusiasm. He said the district had to join the lawsuit to keep students and staff safe.
"If they're getting sick in our buildings because we're not doing our job to do everything we can to keep them safe, that is on us," Phillips said.
础产产辞迟迟鈥檚 has become a as local governments across Texas challenge it.
On Aug. 10, FWISD Superintendent Kent P. Scribner defied 础产产辞迟迟鈥檚 order and announced the district would require all students, employees and visitors to wear masks indoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Four Fort Worth ISD parents to block Scribner鈥檚 mandate, in part because it went against 础产产辞迟迟鈥檚 order.
Judge John Chupp sided with those parents and blocked the mandate, scheduling a further hearing on Aug. 26.
The district agreeing to honor the judge鈥檚 order.
鈥淣evertheless, FWISD strongly recommends that all students, parents, employees and visitors, please, consider the importance of wearing a face mask while we are still in the midst of the pandemic and COVID cases remain high,鈥� the statement read.
The school year started in person on Monday as more and more children in North Texas are being hospitalized with COVID-19. On Saturday, , calling for COVID-19 protections for their kids.
Many Points Of View
Tuesday鈥檚 school board meeting was contentious as parents, teachers and community members stood up to share their views. People cheered and jeered, and at one point, Jackson asked security to escort someone out.
Many asked the school board to defy the court order and put the mask mandate back in place, pointing out that children under 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.
Brianna Guerrero said if the district won鈥檛 offer virtual learning options, a mask mandate is the least it can do.
鈥淲hat does it cost you to be decent human beings? To put our kids first?鈥� she asked the board.
Elise Greer, a Fort Worth student, said she wanted the mask mandate so she wouldn鈥檛 have to learn from home again.
鈥淟ast year, I wasn鈥檛 able to go to school and eat lunch with friends. I wasn鈥檛 able to just have fun. I couldn鈥檛 do this because a new disease was spreading throughout the world and killing so, so many people,鈥� she said.
And that hasn鈥檛 stopped.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we need this mask mandate. Because I want to stay at my high school,鈥� Greer said. 鈥淚 want to do so much, but I will not be able to do this if I am not safe.鈥�
Others rankled at the idea of the school district telling them what to do. One man, a father of five, said mask-wearing should be a matter of individual choice.
鈥淚t is as much a right to have your child wear a mask as it is mine, as a parent, to decline on behalf of my child,鈥� he said.
He also criticized Superintendent Scribner for flouting Gov. 础产产辞迟迟鈥檚 ban on mask mandates. Other speakers called on Scribner to resign, or for the district to fire him.
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