PARIS, Texas — Paris ISD became the first school district in East Texas to require students and teachers wear masks. The decision was made Monday.
Instead of outright mandating masks, CBS19's David Lippman says the district found a loophole in Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order.
According to the school board, the executive order banning mask requirements didn’t affect a district’s ability to enforce a dress code, which masks are now part of.
"The Board of Trustees is concerned about the health and safety of its students and employees," Paris ISD said in a statement. "The Board believes the dress code can be used to mitigate communicable health issues, and therefore has amended the PISD dress code to protect our students and employees. The Texas Governor does not have the authority to usurp the Board of Trustees’ exclusive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of the public schools of the district. Nothing in the Governor’s Executive Order 38 states he has suspended Chapter 11 of the Texas Education Code, and therefore the Board has elected to amend its dress code consistent with its statutory authority."