Republican governors in Texas and Florida have imposed bans on mask mandates despite a spike in COVID-19 infections among children, but that’s not stopping an increasing number of school districts from defying them.
In May, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning any sort of mask mandate, including in schools. In July, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did the same and threatened to withhold funds for schools that require masks for students.
The orders come while the states are epicenters of the new, highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus, which has led to cases and hospitalizations rising to record-breaking levels.
