Hays school superintendent says students “should” wear masks

 Hays school superintendent Dr. Eric Wright, citing a massive increase in COVID cases among school-aged children in the district, hinted Saturday he might insist students wear masks to attend the district’s schools even if the Texas Supreme Court affirms Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on masks mandates.

Dr. Eric Wright

“COVID cases in school-aged children in the county are up 130 percent in the last two weeks,” Wright said in an email sent to parents of Hays CISD students. “The Delta variant is filling up hospitals. By most measures, if not all, this surge is worse than what we faced at the beginning of last school year. What we should do is wear masks. Wearing a mask violates no law or order.”

Hays County Judge Ruben Bacerra issued an executive order Friday requiring mask-wearing in schools. 

 “Currently, 70 percent of the 12-15 age group are unvaccinated, and children under 12 are not eligible for a vaccine at all,” Bacera said in defense of his order. “Masks are their only line of defense. We are experiencing a health crisis emergency with rising hospitalizations, and limited bed space. I am concerned about the health and safety of our children and our hardworking faculty and staff members in our ISDs and hospitals. This order is intended to slow down community spread of the COVID-19 virus, and free up hospital space. Personal responsibility, undefined, as a disaster response strategy for an infectious disease pandemic is not working.”

Bacerra’s executive order was similar to those issued by authorities in other governmental jurisdictions such as Dallas and Austin, but were in defiance of Gov. Abbott’s order that no government entity in Texas could issue a mask mandate. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an order with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to overturn the local orders issued by Bacerra and others.

In his email, Wright said he expects the Texas high court, which, traditionally, acts more like a political body than a judicial one, will rule on the issue before classes begin Thursday in Hays schools. 

“Historically regarding COVID, the Texas Supreme Court has sided with the governor,” Wright said.

However, without much further explanation, Wright also said this:

“The court decisions will tell us what we must do. They will not tell us what we should do.”

Does that mean Wright might defy a ruling of the high court? He did not say specifically if he would do so, but he did say “What we should do is wear masks. Wearing a mask violates no law or order. It is the safe thing to do medically and legally.”

But he also said “We will do what we need to do to keep children and staff as safe as possible, but we must do it in a way that respects the ultimate decisions made under law. We cannot have chaos and blatant defiance. That serves no one — especially our children.

“Sadly, the issue of masks is fully entrenched in adult politics,” the superintendent added. “I, along with your locally elected school board, will continue to keep the well-being of your children and our students as the focus.”

Wright also hinted he may reveal additional strategies early this week: “I am working through the weekend with our leadership team and we’ll convene on Monday to make decisions.”

“Our school district attorneys will be providing us with legal counsel that will guide us in our ‘must do’ decisions,” Wright said. “We are educators not lawyers. Know, however, that being in the education business, we — as a collective group of staff, parents, intelligent students and teachers, and locally connected leaders — are capable of solving problems and finding creative solutions that fit within the rules. That’s what we do every day. There’s a way to solve this. Granted, our options are much more limited than last year and it will be a bigger challenge, but we will do this. We will keep our family safe.”