Back-to-School in Maskless Texas: A Student’s Perspective

By Reagan Buvens

School starts in a few days, and I feel nothing but anger. I’m not afraid; my fear has faded into a dull buzzing, a muffled roar at worst. I just feel helpless. Governor Abbott and the Texas Congress have seen to that. 

On July 29, Governor Abbott issued an executive order, barring state-funded organizations, including schools, from requiring masks. His reasoning is that no one should be forced to do anything against their will, and “personal responsibility” ought to be enough to protect us all.

“Personal responsibility” has seen Texas’ vaccination rate remain low, with only 58.2 percent of the population fully vaccinated, according to The New York Times. “Personal responsibility” is the reason that, on August 10, there were only 30 ICU beds left unfilled in Dallas County, according to The Dallas Morning News. Two were pediatric ICU beds. “Personal responsibility” is why, after only one week of school, Garland ISD reported 314 cases of COVID-19 among their students and staff. I can’t trust “personal responsibility” to protect me, my family, or my friends. 

In Florida, Governor DeSantis is refusing state funds to schools who dare to require masks. In Tennessee, Governor Lee signed an executive order allowing parents to “opt out” their students from school mask mandates. In Arizona, Governor Ducey set aside $163 million in grant funds for schools without a requirement for masks. 

I’m angry that our leadership is throwing our safety to the wind, that they would rather let children get sick and die than admit that they were wrong. Yes, children are somewhat less susceptible to severe disease than adults, but even one preventable death is too many.

I’m angry that I’ve lost so much time to COVID. I’m sixteen, seventeen in two weeks. For me, a year and a half is a long, long time. It’s almost a tenth of my life. 

I’m angry that people still don’t seem to care. Vaccination rates remain low, despite full FDA authorization. Parents are advocating against mask mandates, arguing that their comfort is more important than everyone else’s safety.

Despite all of this, I am so indescribably proud of those who are fighting for us. On Monday, August 9, the Superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District, Michael Hinojosa, announced a mask mandate for all students, teachers, and visitors, and a little bit of my anger dissipated. Austin ISD swiftly followed. The two school districts combined have roughly 230 thousand students, all of which are now safer than they would have been. I’m glad that someone cares, that someone is trying to protect us. 

However, there are 1,427 school districts in Texas. 48 have announced mask mandates. The other 1,379 are obeying Governor Abbott and sending their children into harm’s way. While I’m no longer quite so angry for myself and everyone I know within Dallas ISD, students in the rest of the state are still in danger.

I’m going into my senior year. Three years ago, in freshman year, I thought my biggest worry would have been college. I thought I would be stressing over essays, funding, and applications. I thought I would be looking forward to prom, and graduation, and moving into my dorm.

I’m still doing that, but nothing in my future seems quite so certain anymore. I’m working on my applications to colleges, but I can’t visit some campuses because of COVID. Others don’t offer guided tours. I’ve started on my essay, but I’m so tired and burned-out that I hardly have any ideas.

This was all preventable. I think that is what I’m most angry about. If, at the beginning, everyone had taken this seriously, the world would be in a much better place today. If Governor Abbott hadn’t banned mask mandates, Dallas and Austin ISDs wouldn’t have had to risk their funding to keep kids safe. 

I am angry, and I am tired, but I am hopeful for the future. Leaders in Dallas and Austin are trying to keep us safe. They are fighting for us.

On August 19, a group of parents of disabled students sued Governor Abbott over his mask mandate ban, arguing that it failed to protect their children and, in fact, denied them access to an equal education. Also on August 19, the Texas state Supreme Court refused to enforce Governor Abbott’s order, though they had previously backed the ban. On August 17, in an ingenious circumvention, the school board of Paris ISD voted to include masks in the dress code. Since Governor Abbott’s executive order made no mention of the dress code, they face no penalty for their mask mandate.

School this year might not be quite the same, but at least we’re all in it together. We are going to keep fighting. We are going to make it through.