"The city of Austin and Travis County have ordered masks be worn in all public buildings and schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Austin ISD is complying with that order and will keep the district’s mask requirement," the district said in a statement.
The Texas Supreme Court issued stay orders Aug. 15 against local mask mandates approved by district courts in Dallas and Bexar counties. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton requested other entities with similar mask orders, including Travis County, be subject to the same decision. However, the Supreme Court on Aug. 16 denied Paxton's request.
Paxton addressed an Aug. 16 follow-up letter to other entities that have received restraining orders from lower courts blocking Abbott's executive order GA-38 and enabling mask mandates. He requested those entities comply with G-38 and rescind their mandates by 4 p.m. Aug. 16.
"We are confident your order will inevitably be stayed by the Supreme Court and that any subsequent relief ordered by a trial court will ultimately be reversed," Paxton wrote.
Hector Nieto, public information officer for Travis County, confirmed Travis County has no plans to rescind its mask mandate in light of the Supreme Court's decision at this time.
"We will not stop protecting children, especially those under 12 who are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine," Travis County Judge Andy Brown said in an Aug. 15 tweet.
