The Dallas Independent School District will require all students and staff to wear mask despite a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court on Sunday that upheld Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order banning local officials from implementing such orders, according to Dallas Morning News.
Under Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins’ public health order all but one of the county’s 14 public schools announce they will implement a mask mandate.
The Texas Supreme Court temporary blocked lower court rulings that allowed local government entities and school districts to implement mask mandates in defiance of an order from Governor Abbott.
“Until there’s an official order of the court that applies to the Dallas Independent School District, we will continue to have the mask mandate,” Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said in a statement on Sunday. “After a court rules, then I will comply, if it’s not in my favor,” he added.
Jenkins suggested on Sunday that he would amend the order to remove penalties for businesses that do not comply, he would not rescind, Dallas Morning News reports.
“The Texas Supreme Court did not strike down my face mask order. Rather they removed the stay on the [governor’s executive order]. Unless I receive a ruling requiring otherwise, I will amend my order to remove the possibility of fines on noncompliant businesses but otherwise leave the order in effect,” Jenkins wrote in a tweet.
