Longview ISD mask mandate hearing to resume next Wednesday

LONGVIEW — A hearing on Longview ISD’s mask mandate will resume next Wednesday. In the first day of the hearing this past Wednesday, Judge Vincent Dulweber of Longview denied a motion by LISD to dismiss the case due to lack of standing by the Texas Attorney General’s Office. According to our news partner KETK, he did not list an explicit reason. Earlier in the hearing, Judge Dulweber ruled that the AG’s office does have the authority to bring a lawsuit against the school district. The district says Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox was acting within his authority when he imposed the LISD’s mask mandate. The AG’s office says he overstepped his authority by violating Gov. Abbott’s executive order that prohibits mask mandates. LISD is among a number of school districts sued by Attorney General Ken Paxton for similar reasons. We will continue to follow this story.