El Paso private schools mandate masks as Abbott’s ban doesn’t apply
EL PASO, Texas -- The Delta variant has been detected in El Paso, posing a new threat and raising a recurring issue among parents who have students returning to the classroom.
Several Texas public school districts are now defying the governor's order preventing mask mandates - although none are in the Borderland, but some El Paso private schools are choosing to mask up.
“For the safety of our students, we don’t have to follow the governor’s mandates. We are a private institution, we can govern ourselves,” said Adolfo Sanchez, Cathedral High School’s principal, explaining why they’re not subject to Gov. Abbott’s executive order prohibiting governmental entities from mandating masks.
Other private schools like Radford and Loretto are also mandating masks on campus. Those schools have added it to the list of safety measures such as temperature checks at every entrance for anyone going in the building, desk shields, and sanitation stations.
“When you listen to what is said by CDC and doctors, I don’t want to be responsible for somebody getting sick. We’ve had kids who are sick. I just don’t want an outbreak. The governor is not a doctor, I want to follow what the doctors say. As they say 'follow the science,'” said Marybeth Boesen, president of Loretto Academy.
The mask issue has divided opinions and actions, because not all private schools are taking the same stand. Northeast Christian Academy officials said they are not currently mandating masks in school, but may do so if the guidelines change.
