Parents are planning to push back against a rushed proposal by officials in their North Texas school district to force face coverings onto students, after starting the school year with optional masking.
Plano Independent School District trustees called an “emergency” board meeting for Monday morning at 8 a.m. to discuss whether to re-impose mask mandates, reversing their earlier policy of parental choice.
“They called a meeting at a time when parents are driving kids to school,” said Semida Voicu, a Plano mom and past school board candidate who advocates for parental choice in public education. “Plano parents need help.”
“Please come out and support the PISD parents who believe in parental rights!” she added.
The meeting comes on the heels of a ruling Thursday by the Texas Supreme Court that temporarily allows school districts across the state to mandate masks, in violation of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order prohibiting mask mandates by government entities.
Also on Thursday, the Texas Education Agency issued new Public Health Guidance saying that “mask provisions of GA-38 are not being enforced as the result of ongoing litigation,” giving Plano and other districts the green light to force masks onto kids.
Collin County Conservative Republicans are calling on citizens across the county to support parental choice in Plano.
“If Plano ISD falls, you can expect other Collin County ISDs to follow suit,” CCCR said in an email Sunday. “The time to have your voice heard is now!”
Parents in other Collin County school districts are contacting their board members as well, asking them to maintain their current policy of mask choice.
“We need to work HARD to keep parental choice about mask-wearing, and make sure the school board knows that we are watching,” McKinney First PAC emailed members Sunday.
Allen ISD’s board meets Monday night, and McKinney ISD trustees meet Tuesday night.
WHO: Plano ISD Board of Trustees
WHAT: Emergency Board Meeting re Mask Mandate
WHEN: Monday, August 23, 8:00 AM
WHERE: District Administration Building Board Room, 2700 West 15th Street, Plano
