Austin, Texas – Students and teachers in the Austin area have returned to the classrooms, but many are still confused by varying mask mandates, and what laws to follow.

Public school students who opted for in-person learning returned to classrooms on Tuesday, some with mask mandates in place despite the state fighting tooth and nail to block them. Governor Greg Abbot had already put in place an executive order to disallow mask mandates in schools.

Austin Independent School District's (AISD) first day was met with some resistance, as a few parents and children citing the order showed up without masks and were subsequently refused entry, KVUE reported.

The school district was able to bar entry due to the word of State District Judge Jan Soifer, who issued two temporary orders on August 15 which blocked the governor's ban on mask mandates.

In an op-ed published by Time Magazine, AISD's superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said the decision to reinstate a district-wide mandate was anything but a political one.

"We have serious political divisions in this country when it comes to masking, but for me this was not a political decision, but rather a deeply personal one. What if a child dies on my watch?"

She continued, "How do I say to you, 'I’m really sorry. We did everything we could except for masking because the governor’s executive order prohibited me from doing so.' What does that do for a parent? How does that bring them comfort or solace?"

TAG24 reached out to Elizalde for further comment, but has not received a response.

For Leander ISD (LISD), which is also in the Austin metro area and re-opened its doors to students on August 12, it took 87 new cases of Covid-19 within the first four days of classes to reconsider its maskless stance. It inevitably instated a temporary mask mandate, which went into effect on August 18.

One LISD parent Laura Sparrow, who has elementary and middle school-aged children, told TAG24 that the return to classrooms has been stressful, to say the least.

"We seem to be in a very precarious position right now," Sparrow said, adding that Covid-19 numbers were much higher now than they were this time last year.

She believes the district isn't doing enough to keep her kids, and others', safe.

According to Sparrow, "LISD has abandoned the majority of the Covid mitigation measures they implemented last year. Kids are not being podded in classrooms, lunch procedures are the same as they were pre-Covid, students desks are not spaced apart."

The mother also alleged that LISD would not be contact tracing students from seventh to 12th grade who test positive, and they also won't require staff or students to quarantine after exposure.

TAG24 reached out to LISD's superintendent for comment on the claims, but they did not immediately respond.

With LISD schools in both Travis and Williamson County, Sparrow said each had given "conflicting orders" regarding the enforcement of Gov. Abbott's mask mandate ban, leading to more confusion amongst parents and students alike regarding what they can and can't do.

Despite what state and local laws might be, Sparrow, for one, is on board with the notion of masks being required in public schools unless an individual has a "legitimate medical reason" – at least for now.

As Austin area school districts like LISD and AISD continue to navigate what they deem is best for students and staff, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton seems to be doing everything in his power to ensure masks cannot be mandated in schools, despite local orders and policies.

On Tuesday, Austin American Statesman reporter Chuck Lindell tweeted that Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to nix the new orders put in place by Judge Soifer that allowed Austin area schools to require masks once again.

Given the state's track record of combating many Covid-19 safety measures with "personal responsibility," such as outlined executive order 38, it's possible the government will go to extreme lengths in order to uphold the mask mandate ban in public schools and government buildings.

The constant back and forth between local government, school districts, and the state government has proven to be unsettling to parents, including Sparrow.

"I am worried that the governor and TEA (Texas Education Agency) are doing everything in their power to keep schools from implementing safety protocols, including but not limited to banning mask mandates," she said.

Regardless of the continued battle with the state, Austin ISD, Leander ISD, Eanes ISD, Round Rock ISD, and Del Valle ISD are all currently requiring students, staff, and visitors to wear masks.

However, neighboring Georgetown ISD has yet to put a mask mandate in place, leaving the decision up to students and staff members.

What comes next for Austin area schools is anyone's guess, but it's unlikely Abbott – who just tested positive for Covid-19 – and Paxton will rest until they get their desired results – and whatever consequences those might bring.