'Masks will be optional at all Aldine ISD campuses, administrative buildings,' superintendent says

Beginning Saturday, June 5, masks will be optional at all Aldine Independent School District (ISD) campuses and administrative buildings, as a result of Gov. Greg Abbott's recent executive order. 

Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. Latonya Goffney said that teachers, students and visitors will also no longer be required to get daily COVID-19 screenings. 

"Per Gov. Abbott’s recent executive order, masks will be optional at all Aldine ISD campuses and administrative buildings starting June 5. Until then, current mandates and protocols will remain in effect," Goffney told Houston Daily. "After May 28, the district will no longer conduct the visitor COVID-19 screening process, and employees will not need to complete the daily screening via Qualtrics. Please note that Aldine ISD will continue to update the COVID-19 dashboard with reported and active cases."

Goffney said she is confident that staff and students will continue to follow safety protocols to protect themselves and others. 

"The Aldine ISD community has come a long way since this time last year, and we are confident that is due to students and staff adhering to our safety protocols. Staff and students are encouraged to continue monitoring their health and taking precautions, including getting vaccinated if 12 or older, to protect themselves and others so that the district can finish strong and finish safe," Goffney said. 

Abbott's executive order prohibiting governmental entities from mandating masks takes effect Friday, June 4, and those who try to mandate masks may be fined up to $1,000, a release from the governor's office said.

"The Lone Star State continues to defeat COVID-19 through the use of widely-available vaccines, antibody therapeutic drugs and safe practices utilized by Texans in our communities," Abbott said in the release. "Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans' liberty to choose whether or not they mask up."

According to ABC 13, Texas has had no COVID-19-related deaths recently for the first time in over a year. This helped in prompting Abbott to issue not only the newest executive order, but also his lifting the statewide mask mandate in March.

Abbott's very first mask mandate order was round-a-bout when it began by prohibiting counties from mandating masks and then hinted at loopholes in his original mandate, Texas Monthly reported. This then caused him, in July of last year, to institute a "bona fide mask mandate, requiring virtually all Texans to wear a mask in public spaces."

Abbott's actions have often be contrasted against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, NPR said. DeSantis rescinded all COVID-19 restrictions in thefFall of 2020, though he did allow localities to mandate masks and did not neuter their ability to enforce orders. While DeSantis was the first to ban government from mandating masks, Texas followed behind just two weeks later and applied it to public schools unlike Florida's newest orders, Tampa Bay reported.