Austin ISD to require masks for all on district property

Austin ISD trustees voting on mask mandate

Monday evening, Austin ISD held a special Board of Trustees meeting to vote on whether the district would require masks against Gov. Abbott's order.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin ISD students, educators and parents gathered at Travis Heights Elementary School Monday calling on the school board to implement a mask mandate.

"It is beyond important to me that we are required to wear masks in school because I don’t want to be scared to go to school. I don’t want to be scared to learn." said AISD student Lucy Sugawa. who has asthma.

She is fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 but contracted the virus this winter pre-vaccine. She spent eight hours in a field hospital undergoing monoclonal antibody treatments "hooked up to a bunch of tubes and machines."

She added "I went into that alone without my parents… it was the scariest thing I’ve ever gone through."

Majority of AISD parents sending their kid to school masked, says report

According to a survey put out by AISD, 80% of families who responded said they plan to send their child to school in a mask.

Now Sugawa says she fears for her younger brother. He also has asthma but is under the age of 12 and unable to get vaccinated. "When I think about the things that I am the most terrified of — it is having to see my brother in the pain that I was in."

She worries about the lasting damage the virus can cause, explaining, "I used to not carry my inhaler with me and now I have to take it with me everywhere."

AISD parent Mary Helen McNally also spoke at the rally. She told the crowd her family "carries a genetic blood disorder that can make COVID-19 extra dangerous."

McNally and one of her two children have the blood disorder. Last year, all three of them had to stay home — forcing the single mother out of work. "Because one mistake in our bubble could kill our whole family." she explained.

Without a mask mandate in place McNally says she will be forced out of work again this school year. "We’re gonna have to be forced to choose between our child’s safety and our family's security and that’s not something that should be happening in the city."

Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order on May 18 banning public entities, including schools, from implementing mask mandates past June 4.

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Leslie Rangel talks to Patrick Patterson with Communities In Schools to talk about how parents can prepare kids for the upcoming school year.

Monday, Dallas ISD, the state's second-largest school district defied Abbott’s order, requiring masks for students, faculty and staff.

Monday evening, Austin ISD held a special Board of Trustees meeting to vote on the matter. Following the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde announced the board has decided to require masks for all students, staff and visitors on all district properties, starting on Wednesday, August 11.

Abbott’s order warned that violators may face fines of up to $1,000, though it remains unclear what, if any penalty may be levied on schools.

Mike Siegel, an AISD parent and former Assistant City of Austin Attorney told FOX 7 "we don’t know how the emergency order would play out in terms of sanctions. There’s been some talk that the state could fine a school district $1,000 per student per day and so that’s really unclear. But what our ask of the school board is is ‘do the right thing now and let’s all fight that battle together if the time comes.’"

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MORE HEADLINES:
Majority of AISD parents sending their kid to school masked, says report
Texas AFT calling on Abbott to allow school districts to mandate masks
AISD opens up virtual learning for non-AISD students
CDC wants more vaccinated people and schoolchildren to mask up — but Texas keeps it voluntary
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