The Southside Independent School Board has approved a resolution asking Texas Governor Greg Abbott to issue more help to Southside ISD students and parents during this surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Managers voted unanimously asking the governor to:
- rescind Executive Order GA No. 36 which bans mandatory masks in schools
- fully fund virtual instruction for all students
“Everyone is concerned for their children and the need to address this,” Superintendent Mr. Rolando Ramirez said. “We have to think of Southside students and Southside staff and we will pursue all avenues to protect them.”
The governor’s order prohibits local governments from making masks mandatory, despite a recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that face masks work in abating the spread of COVID-19.
The resolution also specifically requests Gov. Abbott to grant the Commissioner of Education the authority to fully fund virtual instruction for all students. The delta variant of the coronavirus has parents worried with many requesting remote instruction. However, the State of Texas is not reimbursing school districts who offer remote learning as an option.