ROUND ROCK, Texas (Talk1370.com) -- After nearly 9 percent of the district's students were opted out of a temporary mask mandate, Round Rock ISD officials voted late Tuesday to place new limits on parents wanting to opt their children out from the requirement.
The district's Board of Trustees voted 5-2 to limit the opt out provision to only those who have a religious or medical need.
More than 100 students and parents signed up to speak before the board, pushing the final vote well past 10 p.m. Tuesday night.
"I miss seeing the smiling faces of our students and teachers and I can’t wait until we can all put our masks away," said RRISD Superintendent Dr. Hafedh Azaiez in a letter to the district community. "But that time is not now. Now, we must take care of each other and protect each other. We must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep our school doors open."
According to the district's COVID-19 dashboard, more than 200 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported since the beginning of the school year, with another 2,191 "close contacts."
Parents who opted their students out through the current rules will need to resubmit that request within a week, officials said.
The temporary mask mandate will end on Sept. 17 unless trustees vote to extend it.