District joins lawsuit

During its regular August meeting, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees voted to join multiple other school districts in an existing lawsuit challenging a ban on mask mandates. The litigation defends local control of such decisions defined by the education code, which gives districts the right to manage their respective district.

“It’s about the safety of our students, staff and families,” board president Ben Mackey said, according to the Dallas Morning News. “We just gotta do what’s right, and to make our voices heard in this lawsuit is critical for us.”

Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced Aug. 9 that, to protect staff and students from the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, Dallas ISD is temporarily requiring all staff, students and visitors to wear masks when on district property.