Judges In Texas Reinstate Mask Mandate Defying Governor Abbot's Order As Coronavirus Cases Surge

Kachru Houston: Courts in US State of Texas have reinstated mask mandates as the cases of coronavirus are once again on rise in several areas of its region. Judges, including Indian-American Judge, KP George from Fort Bend County, Texas reinstated mask mandates in the county even after the Texas Governor Greg Abbott prohibited local governments from issuing any mask mandates.

Judge KP George issued a mask mandate for all employees and visitors to county facilities effective August 13. This came after District Judge O’Neil Williams signed a temporary restraining order, which George’s office said suspends Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order that bans local governmental entities from imposing a mask mandate.

George along with state Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, took to social media to call on Fort Bend ISD and other local school districts to implement mask orders. In a news conference, Judge George defying Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order that banned mask mandates in schools said, We are taking this action to stand up and do the right thing to protect our children, our educators, our employees and all members of our community.

George said it was heartbreaking that students returned to the classroom without all of the necessary health and safety protocols. The latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all individuals, regardless of their vaccination status, wear masks in K-12 schools. Judge George joined several other local officials and school administrations across the state that are rebelling against the Governor’s executive order GA-38.

Under Executive Order GA-38, no governmental entity can require or mandate the wearing of masks, the governor said in a statement. Harris County, Dallas County, Travis County and other counties in Texas also filed a lawsuit against Governor Greg Abbott, seeking to challenge his ban on mask mandates, the latest county to challenge the order thus far. More school districts in Texas are pushing back against an executive order banning mask mandates, joining districts in other states filing lawsuits over the issue.

With most public schools in the country set to begin classes in coming weeks, city and county officials are wrestling with decisions about whether to require masks as the highly-contagious Delta variant causes a surge in COVID-19 cases. The federal government recommends their universal use, but most states have left policy creation to local school boards.

Officials in some of Texas’ largest counties are asking residents even those vaccinated against the coronavirus to again wear masks in public as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread across the state. And some officials are urging unvaccinated people to limit their trips outside the home. The updated suggestions came as Harris, Dallas and Travis counties raised their local coronavirus threat levels or precautionary guidelines in recent days.

The announcements come as COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations have risen statewide. Texas’ seven-day average of new cases jumped from 2,410 to 4,087 daily cases compared with the previous seven-day period, while hospitalisations increased 47 per cent over the same period. Meanwhile, Governor Abbott has threatened to sue all those going against his order, be it schools or officials.

Any school district, public university, or local government official that decides to defy GA-38 which prohibits gov’t entities from mandating masks will be taken to court, Abbott tweeted on August 11. Those opposing the ban have already won a restraining order on GA 38, but now face any lawsuits the Governor may initiate against them, including Judge George.

I didn’t want to sue Governor Abbott, but when the lives of our children and families are on the line, it was necessary, Judge George tweeted. And his message to Gov. Abbott We’ll see you in Court.

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