Gov. Greg Abbott this week swiftly ended countless community debates across Texas over whether masks should continue to be required in classrooms. Public schools can no longer mandate masks starting June 5, he said in his latest pandemic orders.
Officials at many Central Texas districts, which are scheduled to end the school year before the order goes into effect, said they would comply with Abbott s orders. Districts that defy the order, which applies to students, employees and visitors, could face a fine of up to $1,000.
Some districts including Round Rock, Eanes and Hays already had moved to make masks optional in June, after most classes end.
Pflugerville school district officials said he died after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Schonhar was the offensive coordinator for the football team, the girls head track coach and a PE teacher. Before coaching at Connally, he also coached at Stony Point High. For the past 3.5 years, Todd Schonhar has been a valued and beloved member of the Pflugerville ISD and Connally High School family, said district spokesperson Tamra Spence. We are deeply saddened to hear of his passing and extend our sincerest condolences to Mr. Schonhar s family and all those he touched throughout his teaching career.
Spence said the district is not aware of any other employees who have died after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
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| Almost midway through the school year, it has become increasingly clear that virtual learning is failing a sizable number of Texas public school students whose parents decided to keep them home as COVID-19 grips the state. The disturbing number of students posting failing grades while trying to learn in front of computer screens has also brought into sharper focus the failure of state education and political leaders to prepare for an academic year they knew would be like no other. Over the last month, The Texas Tribune has interviewed more than 30 educators, students, parents and experts across the state about their experiences with remote learning. Parents and students describe a system in which kids are failing, not necessarily because they don’t understand the material, but because the process of teaching them is so broken that it’s difficult to succeed.