Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on school mask mandates is back in effect in Texas after the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals halted a federal judge’s injunction on the order.
Federal Judge Lee Yeakel decided in November that Abbott’s order banning such mandates in schools violated the rights of students with disabilities, opening a path for districts to put in place face-covering requirements to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
But the 5th Circuit judges halted the injunction in response to an appeal from Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton celebrated the development Wednesday on Twitter, saying the governor’s order is “THE LAW.” Abbott also weighed in, thanking Paxton for the victory and calling it “GREAT NEWS.”
