Mr. Abbott on Monday night launched a statement describing steps Texas would take to curb the unfold of the coronavirus, which didn’t point out masks.

Michael Hinojosa, the district’s superintendent, mentioned at a news conference on Monday to announce the mandate that the overwhelming majority of his college students and academics have been already sporting masks.

Requested why he wished to impose a mandate when it appeared that folks have been taking the precaution on their very own, Mr. Hinojosa mentioned, “As a result of if we are able to save one scholar, one instructor, from going via this terrible ache it’ll get them extra ready to be taught, and I feel that in the event you do that collectively you might have a greater likelihood for fulfillment.”

Federal guidance calls for college students, academics, dad and mom and guests at faculties to put on masks to gradual the unfold of the virus. Vaccines shield in opposition to critical sickness or loss of life, however don’t fully forestall an infection, and no vaccine has but been licensed for youngsters beneath 12. So main and secondary faculties across the nation will likely be reopening for a largely unvaccinated inhabitants at a time when the Delta variant seems to be sickening children more than earlier virus variants did.

The Dallas district serves almost 154,000 college students in 230 faculties, most of which open on Aug. 16, according to its website. The district, which required masks over the past faculty yr, largely serves nonwhite working-class households.

College districts in different states that ban masks mandates, like Florida and Arizona, have tried to require masks anyway due to the surging Delta variant. Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Republican of Arkansas, mentioned on Sunday that he regretted signing his state’s ban on mask mandates into law.

“Info change, and leaders have to regulate to the brand new details and the truth of what you must cope with,” Mr. Hutchinson mentioned on the CBS program “Face the Nation.”

Dana Goldstein, David Montgomery, Giulia Heyward, Edgar Sandoval contributed reporting.

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