Statement From Paris ISD Superintendent Paul Jones About Face Masks

Paris Independent School District is aware of Governor Abbott’s recent decision to lift the statewide mask mandate effective March 10, 2021. In GA-34, Governor Abbott clarified that school districts must continue to follow minimum standard health protocols provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as they are updated. On March 3, the TEA released updated guidance stating that school districts may continue to require the use of masks for students and employees.

After consulting with local health officials and considering all available data, Paris ISD will continue to require all students and employees to wear appropriate face coverings on each of its campuses for as long as deemed necessary to protect our school community. Moreover, Paris ISD will continue to implement all established health and safety protocols to minimize in-person learning risks.

Due to existing TEA safety guidelines, face coverings’ continued requirement is critical in maintaining a safe and efficient learning environment. It results in fewer mandatory quarantines among our students and staff, which allows us to educate our students in-person with limited disruptions.

As always, the health and safety of the Paris ISD family remain a top priority. We will continue monitoring the situation and adjusting local virus mitigation protocols as appropriate according to state and local health officials’ advice.