US: Court overturns Texas governor’s decree banning compulsory mask use in schools

A federal court overturned a decree Wednesday by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banning the use of masks in schools, paving the way for school districts to set their own rules.

Lee Geikel, president of the West Texas District Court, argued in her ruling that the governor’s decree violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which imposes protection measures for students with special needs. In its ruling, the judge stressed that Governor Abbott’s executive order puts children with disabilities at risk.

State Attorney General Ken Paxton said he “strongly disagrees” with the verdict and is considering “all legal avenues” to challenge it.

The issue of mask use has become an apple of political controversy in much of the United States. Proponents of its mandatory use say it is necessary to prevent the transmission of the new coronavirus. Opponents of such measures claim that they violate individual freedoms.

Some school principals in conservative states where it is expressly forbidden to request the use of a mask defy the ban. Others feel compelled to comply. In Texas, several school districts, such as Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, violate the ban, but others comply.

In her decision, Lee Geikel stressed that the state can not impose a ban on schools, nor impose fines in case of non-compliance.

Defenders of the rights of students with special needs had appealed against Mr Abbott’s executive order.

The decision came on the day the number of patients who have succumbed to COVID-19 complications in Texas exceeded 70,000.

On Monday, 2,755 Texans were hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the Texas Tribune. By the same day, only 53.5% of the state residents had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

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