Federal Judge Blocks Governor Abbott's School Mask Ban

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On Wednesday, a federal judge struck down Texas Governor Greg Abbott's executive order banning schools from enforcing mask mandates.

In the ruling, U.S. Judge Lee Yeakel said Abbott's order "violates the Americans With Disabilities Act by denying the students the opportunity to participate equally in school." According to the Austin American-Statesman:

The evidence, Yeakel wrote, shows that wearing masks can decrease the risk of spreading COVID-19 — a particularly useful strategy for children with disabilities who can be at higher risk of contracting the respiratory disease and from suffering more severe symptoms.

The Statesman goes on to report the injunction by Yeakel to block the governor's executive order only pertains to schools. The newspaper reports the city and county government ban on mask mandates remains in place.

In addition, the Statesman says Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will likely appeal the ruling from Yeakel although the judge blocked the attorney general from bringing legal action against districts that require masks for students, staff, and teachers.

I'm not a doctor and I'm not a lawyer, so I really don't understand mask mandates and the decision here. But I have not heard of any data to show COVID is spreading through schools.

What do you think of this decision? Is it right? This sounds like a political victory to me to overturn this ban and I hate that children are being caught in the middle. I'm more concerned about kids who will look back at these early years of their life and being required to wear masks on and off over two years.

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