Texas Freedom Caucus vows to 'defend' teachers, students who refuse to wear a mask

The Texas Freedom Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives has promised to support and stand behind any teacher or student who won't wear a mask in the classroom.

Their response came after many school districts across Texas adopted mask mandates for the school year, despite an Executive Order from Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) that forbid school districts from doing so.

"We wrote to Texas ISDs with one simple message: We will defend any student or teacher whose individual liberties are encroached upon by ISDs," The Texas Freedom Caucus wrote in a tweet. "How can schools teach the rule of law on one hand, but defy a Supreme Court order on the other?"

The Caucus shared their open letter to the state's Independent School District superintendents on Twitter, where state representatives expressed their disappointment in how most districts have chosen to defy the executive order.

"Such defiance undermines the rule of law and will only result in significant waste of taxpayer resources in needless litigation fees and a decisive defeat in court," Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) wrote in the letter.

Middleton, who also serves as Chairman of the Texas Freedom Caucus, issued a warning for districts who planned to take action against staff members or children who refused to wear a mask.

"We stand with Texas teachers and parents, trust them to make wise decisions, and support any legal action they take to ensure their individual liberty is respected," Middleton wrote in the letter. 

In the letter, Middleton also said the caucus trusts teachers and parents will make the best decisions when it comes to their own or their child's health.

The Texas Tribune reported that the new school year is already underway, yet there appears to be no end in sight for the legal tug-of-war between the state's largest school districts and lawmakers in Austin, which has caused widespread confusion. 

Amidst the mask mandate, hospitals in Dallas reported there are no longer any available ICU beds for children, according to Esquire.