FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Bus drivers in Fort Bend ISD tell us they’re excited to see the children heading back to school, but they have extra steps to take this year as part of their daily routines because of COVID-19.
The district is requiring new cleaning procedures where drivers will wipe down “high-touch” areas after each pick-up and drop-off. And at the end of the day, every bus will be fogged with disinfectant.
Students will also be strongly encouraged to wear masks, but in that district they are not required to wear one. That has some parents fired up. They say they want the district to mandate masks like other districts have, bucking Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on such mandates.
RELATED: View Fort Bend ISD COVID news here
Parents we spoke to say the masks but not be 100% effective in blocking spread of the virus, but they can help prevent it.
On Tuesday, some parents rallied outside the district’s administrator building, hoping to change the minds of board members.
Again, in Fort Bend ISD this year, masks are option and online learning is available only for some children who are too young to be vaccinated.