TYLER, Texas — The University Interscholastic League (UIL) has updated their guidelines for when summer workouts and UIL-sponsored activities resume on July 13.
Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order regarding face coverings, applies to all UIL activities. This includes all 2020 summer activities and in-season activities for the 2020-2021 school year.
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For the purposes of summer workouts, schools must require students, staff, and visitors to wear face coverings when entering and exiting facilities and practice areas and when not actively exercising. Schools may, for example, allow students who are actively exercising to remove face coverings as long as they maintain at least six feet of distance from other students and staff who are not wearing face coverings. However, schools must require students and staff to wear face coverings as they get into positions that allow them to maintain safe distancing.
All employees, parents, visitors and students 10 and older must wear face coverings or face shields upon entry to an area where UIL activities are being conducted and when not actively exercising, unless an exception listed below applies.
"The face coverings requirements do not apply to a school in a county that meets the requirements of paragraph 11 of Gov. Abbott's order, unless the local school system chooses to implement these requirements locally," the UIL said in a statement. "Even in these circumstances, the wearing of face coverings or face shields is strongly encouraged."
The UIL says exceptions to wearing face masks or face coverings include:
- Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering;
- While a person is consuming food or drink;
- While the person is in a pool, lake, or similar body of water.
- When a congregating group of persons maintains at least 6 feet of social distancing; or
- Any other reason or circumstance indicated under the governor's order.