"Violating parental rights": Gov. Abbott's office responds to districts adding masks to dress code

FILE: Kids wear masks as they return to school in Hillsborough County in August of 2021.

The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott is responding after school districts decided to go around his executive order by adding masks to their dress codes.

Texas City ISD which started school on Wednesday, announced the change to its dress code on Tuesday after its board voted on it.

Paris ISD also added face coverings to its dress code to create a loophole around the governor's executive order.

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When FOX 26 reached out the governor's office for comment, they responded with the following statement from press secretary Renae Eze:

"We are all working to protect Texas children and those most vulnerable among us, but violating the Governor’s executive orders—and violating parental rights—is not the way to do it. Governor Abbott has been clear that the time for mask mandates is over; now is the time for personal responsibility. Parents and guardians have the right to decide whether their child will wear a mask or not, just as with any other decision in their child’s life. Governor Abbott has spent his entire time in office fighting for the rights and freedoms of all Texans, and our office continues working with the Office of the Attorney General to do just that. The best defense against this virus is the COVID vaccines, and we continue to strongly encourage all eligible Texans to get vaccinated."

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