District approves mask mandate resolution

By LOUIE DIAZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

The San Benito CISD Board of Trustees voted to instate a mask mandate resolution during a special board meeting on Aug. 16.
Janette Rodriguez, the SBCISD Health Services Coordinator, presented information about the Cameron County Public Health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and State of Texas’ recommendations.
Recently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order which prohibited public school districts from enacting any mandates requiring students, staff, or visitors to wear a mask while on school property.
Trustee Janie Lopez asked Rodriguez if any students have tested positive for COVID-19.
Rodriguez answered that as of Aug. 11, 18 students have tested positive for COVID-19 on campus.
Janie Lopez suggested that the school board take other measures such as social distancing by using other buildings for classes or have a rotating schedule.
“No, unless we modified our school calendar… Students have to be in class a certain number of hours, 75,600 minutes, throughout the school year and we don’t have an exception to that,” SBCISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nate Carman said.
He also mentioned that many portable buildings were done away with because they were in disrepair and that Landrum houses both PRC and Gateway to Graduation students as well as district staff.
School board president Ramiro Moreno believed that the board should be cautious before they passed any mandate.
“I don’t think that we are being premature. I think that we are exercising caution as to what our recommendations are,” Moreno said. “But I would also caution our board in reference to making a rash decision that might be overturned regardless by the end of the week.”
Trustee Orlando Lopez also weighed in on the issue.
“I think we need to be very aggressive and extremely proactive, and it’s very obvious that a lot of other schools are thinking the same way,” he said. Honestly, I am extremely, extremely worried about this situation, and we need to take it seriously.”
Rodriguez also mentioned that students are not required to quarantine if they have been in close contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

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