SAISD to keep staff vaccine mandate for now after appeal delays Paxton's bid to halt it
San Antonio Independent School District can continue requiring its staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19, despite a judge ruling against the district Thursday in a case filed by the Texas attorney general.
Judge Angelica Jimenez of the 408th District Court denied SAISD’s plea on Thursday that state Attorney General Ken Paxton lacks the legal authority to enforce Gov. Greg Abbott’s Aug. 25 executive order, which banned public entities, such as school districts, from mandating COVID-19 vaccines. Steve Chiscano, the attorney representing SAISD, immediately appealed the ruling.
Appealing Jimenez’s jurisdiction ruling delayed a hearing requested by the state to stop SAISD’s vaccine mandate with a temporary restraining order. The school district and attorney general’s office will make their arguments again before the 4th Court of Appeals. Case information is due at the court Oct. 4, according to online court records. The lawyers will file briefs, and justices will make a decision at an undetermined date.
Paxton sued SAISD and Superintendent Pedro Martinez on Sept. 9 for requiring all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19, in defiance of Abbott’s executive order. This was the second suit Paxton brought against the district, after the first was dismissed.
In a statement, the district said Jimenez’s ruling does not enforce Abbott’s executive order prohibiting vaccine mandates and that SAISD would continue its vaccine protocols.
Read more: https://sanantonioreport.org/saisd-can-keep-staff-vaccine-mandate-oct-4/