DSISD Board to decide on masking policy
The Dripping Springs Independent School District has called a special meeting Thursday, May 20 to discus the district’s masking policy. The announcement comes on the heels of a newly hired superintendent, Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz; and after parents spoke out against the policy at a Board meeting in April. Additionally, a group of 64 parents, which has now grown to 150, filed a letter of intent to pursue legal action if the district didn’t drop the requirement of masks on students.
A flyer was then circulated on social media calling for parents to have their students sit out on May 14 as a show of disapproval over the policy and the district’s handling of the matter. The flyer read, “As schools across Texas continue to lift Covid protocols, DSISD is dragging their feet to make decisions or even set metrics for doing so. Let them know you want to make masks optional now and return school to normal.” The flyer called for parents to email their school’s registrar stating their students were sitting out because they disagreed with the safety protocols, including requiring masks. The district reports that 97 kids were marked absent as a result.
In an email to parents on Friday, Dr. Morris-Kuentz wrote, “I know that COVID safety protocols including the face mask requirement are an important topic in our community. A special called Board of Trustees meeting has been scheduled, at which time the board will address this topic.”
The meeting will take place Thursday, May 20, at 12 p.m. in the auditorium at Dripping Springs High School. The posted agenda item is “Consideration of District Masking Requirements for Summer and Fall 2021.”
Schools nearby are also discussing this topic, with some already making the move to make masks optional. Johnson City ISD made masks optional on all campuses in March after Governor Greg Abbott lifted the statewide mask mandate March 10, while Wimberley ISD made the move to make masks optional for elementary students in April and for all campuses beginning this summer. Hays CISD, Georgetown and Round Rock ISDs have announced masks will be optional beginning this summer. Lake Travis ISD is set to decide on its mask policy this week, and Austin ISD has not yet announced plans to discuss the topic for summer and fall, but stated masks will be required throughout the end of the semester, which ends later this month.