HOUSTON – Three Houston area school boards – in Friendswood, Magnolia and Tarkington – planned to vote Monday night on whether or not to remove their mask mandates.
New state guidelines require all students, teachers, staff and visitors to wear masks on school property, unless school boards vote otherwise.
In Magnolia, the board of trustees voted to remove the mask mandate, effective April 1.
“This delay will allow teachers sufficient time to receive a vaccine, if they so choose, now that vaccines are available in Texas to teachers as a group,” the resolution read.
The Superintendent said the district surveyed its 900-plus teachers beforehand, and 70 percent reported that they would feel safe without a mask mandat if they had time to be vaccinated.
In Friendswood, the district voted to not change the masking guidelines, originally approved by the board of trustees through the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
In Tarkington ISD, a decision has not been made as of Monday evening.
We will update this story as the school boards cast their votes.