Texas county relents, will permit second Christian school to conduct in-person instruction

Cameron County, Texas this week withdrew its orders keeping a Christian school closed to in-person instruction, a decision that comes roughly two weeks after the county backed off from enforcing similar orders against another Christian institution. 

The county in late August elected not to enforce its "emergency health control order" against Laguna Madre Christian Academy, allowing the school to bring students back to campus at the start of the academic year. Laguna Madre had argued that its internal health and safety measures to counteract possible COVID-19 spread were sufficient to justify a resumption of face-to-face instruction. 

At that time, the county was still enforcing its health directive against Calvary Christian School, though county officials said they were considering allowing that school to reopen as well. 

On Friday, First Liberty Institute—a Plano, Texas-based religious freedom law firm that had challenged the county's directive against the two schools—announced that county officials had given the green light for Calvary to reopen, with the county having approved of the school's safety plan. 

"We are pleased that Cameron County has approved of the careful work Laguna Madre Christian Academy and Calvary Christian School have put into safely resuming in-person classes,” said First Liberty Special Counsel Jeremy Dys in a statement. 

“As Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made clear weeks ago, local officials serve their community best by respecting the religious liberty of religious institutions," Dys added. 

Dys was referring to A.G. Paxton's July directive declaring that local officials in Texas lack the authority to issue "blanket orders closing religious private schools."

In a statement through First Liberty, Calvary instructor Jan Leibert said the school was "thankful that Cameron County officials approve of the effort we have put into planning for the safe return of our students on Tuesday and look forward to welcoming them back to class."