ROUND ROCK, Texas — Even though the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees recently reinstated the district’s mask requirement, some parents believe the district has some serious issues enforcing it.
Central Texas parent Ashley Walker is not satisfied with how Round Rock ISD is enforcing its mask requirement.
Working full time and helping her daughter learn from home is getting pretty tiring for Walker.
"It's time consuming. It's a lot, to be honest with you," Walker explained.
Walker's mom also lives in her home. Her mom is at high risk for COVID-19.
Walker wishes she could send her daughter, 6-year-old Addison, to school. However, she says right now she won't because she believes Round Rock ISD's mask requirement is not being enforced at all its campuses.
"We have over a thousand kids who have tested positive. It's clear that masks are not being enforced," Walker shared. "While it's highly recommended and technically mandated, they know there's no - nothing that will happen to them."
Walker is considering other avenues for Addison's education outside of Round Rock ISD. She is encouraging other parents to do the same.
"Keep their kids safe. Keep their family safe. Keep their community safe," she said.
Walker is a member of the Round Rock Black Parents Association.
"Recently, a group of Black parents were on a call and I believe it was 12 parents. And of those 12, eight of their children had been removed from the school district," Walker said.
Natosha Daniels is also a member of the Round Rock Black Parents Association. She has three different kids at three different Round Rock ISD campuses.
"Cedar Ridge [High School] actually has some really high cases if you look at their dashboard. I get a notice every day, several times sometimes. But my daughter said that there's really no enforcement. That when it is enforced, it's very half done," Daniels shared.
Daniels says she is immunocompromised and her unvaccinated 7-year-old has severe asthma.
"I cannot have my kids there if they're not enforcing masks, which I mean, that's why I say I struggle with keeping them in Round Rock ISD," Daniels said.
Jenny LaCoste-Caputo says Round Rock ISD is trying to do what's right for kids and the community. She is the chief of public affairs and communications for the district.
"It is a requirement. We would hope they wear a mask but on the other hand there aren't consequences necessarily for not doing that. But we still feel like having it as a requirement is an important tool," LaCoste-Caputo explained.
Since the beginning of school, at least 15 classrooms have been shut down for 10 days because of the virus, something LaCoste-Caputo says right now is trending down. They believe that is tied to the mask requirement.
LaCoste-Caputo says their goal is to keep their schools open, but when it comes to enforcement, the district is limited.
Gov. Greg Abbott's recent executive order bans mask mandates in school.
"Beyond reminding them this is a requirement, encouraging them to wear a mask, that's really as much as we can do," LaCoste-Caputo said. "I think everyone knows there are a lot of legal challenges and battles over this."
As for Walker and her family, they will continue their battle against COVID from home, while also fighting for a good education.
