The Texas State Teachers Association Has Asked Gov. Greg Abbott to Revise His Mask Mandate for Students Going Back to School This Fall

With the number of COVID-19 cases rising as a result of the Delta variant, teachers are concerned that without masks, these numbers will continue to rise. The TSTA rallied for the decision for students to wear masks to school to be given to districts to decide.

However, on Tuesday Gov. Abbott announced, via Twitter, the “time for government mask mandates is over…every Texan has a right to choose,” despite the recent spikes in hospitalizations.

Additionally, with students under 12 still ineligible for the vaccine, a large makeup of the student body, and no sign on the date the vaccine is approved for the age group, health officials are urging parents and students to continue to wear masks.

With hospitalizations across Texas rising and the average test rate at an all-time high of 9.83, the need for masks this fall is apparent.

This week, the CDC reversed its mask policy for all individuals indoors, vaccinated or not amongst the highly transmissible Delta strain.

Harris County, the state’s most populous county, recently raised the COVID-19 threat level from yellow to orange for the first time since lowered in May.

The CDC has also recommended that all students wear masks this fall.