(CNN) The Supreme Court of Texas refused Gov. Greg Abbott's request to intervene Thursday in the case of mask mandates established by several local jurisdictions. As a result, the lower court ruling allowing school districts to require masks in their schools still stands. Wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19, elementary school students line up to enter school for the first day of classes in Richardson, Texas, on August 17, 2021. Abbott wanted the Supreme Court to rule quickly, superseding a state court rule that says that unless there is a compelling reason to not do so, a petition for the court to order a government official to take an action must first go to the Texas Court of Appeals, which is the intermediate appellate court, before it can go to the Texas Supreme Court.

Source: CNN August 20, 2021 02:21 UTC