Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced Friday that he was taking legal action against six school districts who have imposed mask mandates in violation …
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced Friday that he was taking legal action against six school districts who have imposed mask mandates in violation of Gov. Greg Abbott ’s (R) ban on the requirements. The lawsuits add to the continued legal battles Abbott and Paxton have engaged in with local school districts that have issued mask mandates to combat the spread of COVID-19, especially amid the surge of the highly contagious delta variant. Friday’s lawsuits cover mask mandates issued by the Richardson, Round Rock, Galveston, Elgin, Spring and Sherman Independent School Districts. Paxton’s office said in its announcement of the lawsuits that it would be filing additional complaints should “school districts and other governmental entities continue to defy state law.” “Not only are superintendents across Texas openly violating state law, but they are using district resources — that ought to be used for teacher merit raises or other educational benefits — to defend their unlawful political maneuvering,” Paxton said in a statement.
