Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has been under fire nationally for his handling of the coronavirus, with the second-highest number of hospitalizations in the country, next to Florida. Critics point to his policies that actively undermine public health, including banning vaccine and mask mandates as the highly-infectious delta variant explodes across the country. President Joe Biden this week called Abbott's policies “the most extreme."
Texas children have start going back to school, and Gov. Abbott's Education Agency (TEA) just released new COVID-19 protocols, which ignore CDC guidance. The lack of any attempt to protect children and teachers from the virus is prompting widespread outrage, with some correctly noting the state has stricter policies against lice that the coronavirus.
Among the highly-controversial policies, schools do not have to inform parents of any positive coronavirus cases. They also do not have to perform contact tracing. And if they do, students found to have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive do not have to be kept out of school, as WFAA reports.
The Texas Education Agency also requires just seven vaccines. CDC has a list of 12 vaccines it recommends.
Texas coronavirus cases are exploding.
Many are expressing shock and outrage.
They're actively trying to infect and kill kids https://t.co/KHdibQ0Zot
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) August 6, 2021
I think Texas made a mistake in allowing the novel coronavirus to write its protocols for public schools. https://t.co/O1xoaTkrtq
— Adam Serwer 🍝 (@AdamSerwer) August 6, 2021
Conservatism is Americas underlying comorbidity https://t.co/9JgtCTNijC
— Kombiz Lavasany (@kombiz) August 6, 2021
If you send your kids to Texas public schools, Child Protective Services should pay you a visit. @GovAbbott aka Governor Mengele. https://t.co/SzQld9swNOhttps://t.co/XHbg5ewNwx
— 🎙️Halli Casser-Jayne.com Podcast America (@HalliShowQuotes) August 6, 2021
Based on personal experience, I confess that our school district had tougher rules for when my kids had lice. https://t.co/9rgWDstMmH
— Juliette Kayyem (@juliettekayyem) August 6, 2021
When the government is actively trying to kill you… https://t.co/fRpEl5IyMf
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) August 6, 2021
This is @GregAbbott_TX's Texas. Schools unable to require masks. Parents left in the dark about Covid infections in their children's schools. His politics are putting the health of Texas families in dire risk. https://t.co/5STuIKnzWo
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) August 6, 2021
This is the exact opposite of the public health guidance: https://t.co/3mF2FeZA7Y
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) August 6, 2021
Did ... did COVID-19 write this https://t.co/AAsMtDRhda
— Fiddler (@cFidd) August 6, 2021
They running schools like the power grid smh. https://t.co/xWO0NSqx79
— PhantomOfTheChakras (@RecruitZero) August 6, 2021
This is a good way to make sure COVID continues on forever https://t.co/NAe1liZ6tw
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) August 5, 2021
These people find ways to stoop lower each and every day. This is disgusting. Abbott and DeSantis borderline serial killers at this point. https://t.co/DrH9z8oVW7
— $t. Patrick (@LLCoolJames__) August 6, 2021
So they want children to die.
I hate it here. https://t.co/aYVyv5VrKH
— Leslie Mac (@LeslieMac) August 6, 2021
TX schools HAVE to notify parents if another child in their child's class has head lice—which, according to TX Dept. of Health: “Head lice should not be considered as a medical or public health hazard as lice are not known to spread disease." but they don't w/ covid. WTF? pic.twitter.com/EDZNN7O8wJ
— JoPye (@pye22_jo) August 6, 2021
This is evil. Plain and simple https://t.co/7Kn2sf9ZZm
— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@exavierpope) August 6, 2021
TEA to parents: “If your child has the flu, please keep them home. If your child has lice, please keep them home. If your child has COVID, we'll save her a seat." #asininehttps://t.co/Cnc4fSOBJq
— Jon Bryant (@DJWhiteSquall) August 6, 2021
What in the fuck is this? https://t.co/znTRZtaYfT
— Celeste Ng (@pronounced_ing) August 6, 2021
TEXAS. STOP. THIS. SHIT. FOR. FUCKS. SAKE. https://t.co/qqYEFXJlKx
— Cristela Alonzo (@cristela9) August 6, 2021
