Texas native masks mandates allowed for now after Texas Supreme Court docket rejects Gov. Abbott’s request to intervene

Consequently, the decrease courtroom ruling permitting faculty districts to require masks of their colleges nonetheless stands.

Abbott wished the Supreme Court docket to rule shortly, superseding a state courtroom rule that claims that until there’s a compelling purpose to not achieve this, a petition for the courtroom to order a authorities official to take an motion should first go to the Texas Court docket of Appeals, which is the intermediate appellate courtroom, earlier than it will possibly go to the Texas Supreme Court docket.

The governor argued that state officers didn’t have time to undergo the common appeals course of, and that permitting native governments to set their very own mandate guidelines would trigger confusion.

Abbott can nonetheless attraction, however he should achieve this to the courtroom of appeals, earlier than he can go to the state supreme courtroom.

The highest courtroom had sided with Abbott on Sunday because it briefly blocked masks mandates in San Antonio and Dallas. Native officers then both defied the ruling, stating the courtroom’s choice didn’t apply to them, or tailor-made their mandates across the Supreme Court docket’s choice.

On Tuesday, extra faculty districts voted to require masks. One district, The Paris Impartial Faculty District, voted to amend its present gown code in an effort to work in necessities for masks.

“The board believes the gown code can be utilized to mitigate communicable well being points, and subsequently has amended the PISD gown code to guard our college students and staff,” the district mentioned in an announcement.

Abbott had requested the Supreme Court docket for an expedient ruling after judges and officers in extra districts, corresponding to Houston’s Harris County, issued faculty masks mandates.

CNN’s Travis Caldwell contributed to this report.