Texas Parent Rips Mask Off Teacher’s Face After Gov. Greg Abbott Prohibits Mask Mandate

According to the school system superintendent, a parent in one Texas District ripped a face mask off a teacher and then requested another educator to remove hers.

The Eanes Independent School District Superintendent Tom Leonard wrote in a statement on Tuesday, “The last few days leading to the start of school have been a whirlwind of information and action from governors, attorneys general, judges, mayors, superintendents, and even principals.”

Municipalities and certain school districts in the state have objected to Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order prohibiting mask mandates. On the same day that Leonard’s statement was made, Abbott’s spokesman stated that the governor had tested positive for coronavirus.

Leonard wrote, “While many may not agree on the particulars (i.e., masks or no masks), we all want students to be safe, and we all should treat each other respectfully.”

However, some parents have been criticizing teachers in the days leading up to the first day of school, which is Wednesday in the Austin district, he added.

“A parent physically assaulted a teacher by ripping a mask off her face, others yelling at a teacher to take off her mask because they could not understand what the teacher was saying while her face was covered,” Leonard wrote. “Our staff are on the front lines of this pandemic; let’s give them some space and grace. Please, I am asking everyone to be kind … do not fight mask wars in our schools.”

In his statement, Leonard did not mention the teacher’s condition who was assaulted or if any disciplinary action was taken against the parent suspected of assaulting her.

While Travis County requires masks in all schools and the CDC recommended that all children in kindergarten through 12th grade wear masks, Abbott’s directive prevents school districts from doing so.

“We have no legal methods to enforce the wearing of masks,” Leonard said. “We will not make our staff the ‘mask police’ with no authority to enforce the rule.”

“To be clear, we respect the Travis County Order requiring masks and highly encourage masks for all students, staff, and visitors to our campuses,” Leonard said. “Our hospitals are full at the moment; our medical personnel is under extreme pressure. We are doing our part to help.”

He went on to say that masks are worn by the majority of staff and kids, particularly in elementary schools.

“If adults choose to disagree and fight among themselves (as my mother often advised my brother and me when we fought), please take it outside, off our campuses, and out of our schools,” Leonard advised parents. “The children are watching and learning how we behave, so let’s make the time our students spend in school a joyful and positive experience.”

The incident in Texas was the most recent example of the country’s debate on school mask laws that reached a boiling point.