Richardson, DeSoto and Dallas ISDs keep mask mandates in place, at least for now

RICHARDSON, Texas - Students and teachers in two additional Dallas County school districts must wear masks when they head back to school.

Richardson ISD Superintendent Jeannie Stone said nearly 100 students and staff reported testing positive for COVID-19 before the first day on Tuesday.

She’s asking Richardson ISD families to be flexible because the situation with the delta variant is constantly changing.

But the superintendent said she believes requiring masks is the right move to keep people safe inside schools.

RELATED: COVID-19 outbreaks close schools in 3 small Texas districts

DeSoto ISD will also defy Gov. Greg Abbott’s order and require masks. 

Trustees met Monday night after the first day of school and decided to follow the mask mandate issued by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins last week even though it was temporarily blocked by the Texas Supreme Court.

Meanwhile in the Dallas ISD, which also returned on Monday, there is still a mask mandate in place.

Like his counterpart in Richardson, Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa believes a mask mandate is the right thing to do.

RELATED: Thousands of North Texas kids head back to school, some with a mask mandate and some without

He thinks he has some legal grounds to issue his mask requirement, at least for now.

"They haven’t ruled on us. I would never go against the Supreme Court if they ruled on us specifically," Hinojosa said. "I’m buying as much time as I can."

Both Gov. Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton said they will continue fighting against mask requirements in the courtroom.