AUSTIN, Texas — Austin ISD has joined five other school districts in asking a state appeals court to halt Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from his efforts in suing districts that are enforcing mask mandates in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order, according to a report from KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
The six school districts – Austin, Houston, Dallas, Northside, Aldine and Spring – filed a motion this week with the Third Court of Appeals, arguing that Paxton's actions are an improper step to bypass an Austin-based appeals court, where the Statesman reports that the districts' legal fight remains locked.
With this motion, the districts are reportedly seeking an anti-suit injunction, which would force the Texas attorney general to halt the lawsuits that are already ongoing, temporarily stopping him from suing any additional districts over their mask mandates.
"Like GA-38’s prohibitions on mask requirements, the attorney general lawsuits are not intended to help mitigate COVID-19's immeasurable threat to Texans' health or safety. They do not purport to mitigate the disaster or keep students or teachers safe," the motion said.
Due to the delta variant, the CDC has continued to recommend that all students, teachers, staff members and visitors wear masks indoors, no matter their vaccination status.
Paxton has launched legal action against more than a dozen Texas schools districts, also including Round Rock and Elgin ISDs.
To read the Statesman's full report, click here.
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