TEMPLE, Texas — Temple ISD will require all students and staff to wear face coverings in school, regardless of age, when social distancing is not feasible, TISD Superintendent Bobby Ott said in a letter to staff.
The requirement exceeds Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order on mask requirements and Texas Education Agency guidance, the latter of which only recommends face coverings in schools but does not require them. This means that the district face covering requirement will stay in place even if Gov. Abbott rescinds the order.
The only way a face covering will not be required for a student is if they have a documented medical condition that allows them to be exempt, Ott said.
All students will also be required to wear a face covering when boarding a bus.
To help enforce the new school mask requirement, the district has reportedly purchased masks for every student and staff member, but they are encouraged to wear their own.
"Since parents have the choice to select remote or on-campus instruction, this allows TISD to provide a safer environment for everyone that is present on campus," Ott said in the letter.
The face covering requirement was announced as part of the district's back-to-school plan and was a modification made after the initial plans were released.
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