Arlington ISD considering legal action against Gov. Abbott over his ban on mask mandates
ARLINGTON, Texas - Arlington ISD is considering taking legal action against Texas Governor Greg Abbott over his ban on mask mandates.
The district wants to be able to make a decision on a mask mandate, rather than the governor banning mask mandates across the state.
This comes just a day after hospital officials announced there were no pediatric ICU beds left in the North Texas region.
RELATED: No staffed pediatric ICU beds left in North Texas region, hospital official says
"Arlington ISD’s attorneys are drafting a lawsuit against Governor Abbott's executive order for consideration by the board of trustees at Thursday’s meeting," said Kecia Mays, president of Arlington ISD's Board of Trustees. "We are advocating to put the decision to mandate masks back into the hands of our district. We are in a community with a high rate of COVID-19. The positivity rate is over 22%. No ICU beds are available for pediatric patients. We have to implement every mitigation effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, and one of the tools we have – the mask – has been taken away as an option to mandate."
Dallas and Fort Worth school districts have implemented a mask mandate, in defiance of Gov. Abbott’s ban on mask mandates.
Dallas County schools are also required to have mask mandates following an order by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
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