Starting Monday, masks will be optional for students and staff in the Canyon Independent School District. This comes after the Canyon ISD Board of Trustees voted 4-2 to make this decision during March's regular meeting. According to previous reports by the Amarillo Globe-News, the Texas Education Agency gave boards the power to make the decision regarding face coverings after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state’s mask mandate would be lifted, and businesses can operate at 100% earlier this year. At the time, board members Bill Jenkins and Matt Parker voted against the motion. According to the Canyon ISD website, the district states that there is only one active COVID-19 case with 754 recoveries. However, the webpage reads that it has not been updated since March 15.