Spring Branch ISD board to vote on 'making masks optional' for students beginning May 25

Houston Daily recently reached out to Terry Walker, Communications and Community Engagement executive director of Spring Branch Independent School District (ISD), to inquire if the school district would stop requiring masks in accordance with the governor's latest executive order.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently issued an executive order prohibiting Texas schools from requiring students, staff and faculty to wear masks after Friday, June 4.

"Currently at Spring Branch ISD, masks are required," Walker told Houston Daily. "In light of the governor’s executive order, the school board will vote Monday night (May 24) on a resolution to make masks optional beginning Tuesday, May 25."

The governor's decision was likely influenced by a recent announcement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declaring that fully vaccinated Americans could participate in most activities without a mask and plunging rates of COVID rates across the state. The State of Texas recently reported zero COVID-related deaths for the first time in over a year, according to ABC 13 News.

Abbott's very first mask mandate order was peculiar and round-a-bout. According to Texas Monthly, he began by prohibiting counties from mandating masks, but then hinted that there was a loophole for counties to skirt his order. Counties ended up doing just that and mandated businesses to require masks. 

Abbott eventually instituted a bona fide mask mandate in July of 2020, requiring virtually all Texans to wear a mask in public spaces.

In March of 2021, Abbott lifted the statewide mask mandate and nominally prevented local governments from instituting their own mandates. However, several municipalities ignored him and stuck by their mandates.

Abbott's actions have often been contrasted with those of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The latter rescinded all meaningful COVID restrictions, including mask requirements all the way back in the fall of 2020. DeSantis did technically allow localities to mandate masks, but he neutered their ability to enforce any orders, NPR News reported. 

A recent order from DeSantis conflicts with Abbott's approach. The Florida governor was the first to ban local government from mandating masks, beating his Texas counterpart by over two weeks. However, DeSantis' order did not apply to public schools, whereas the Texas governor's order explicitly did, according to Tampa Bay Times.