With the number of cases of COVID-19 surging here in Texas and the rest of the country and students of all ages heading back to the classroom in the coming weeks, many local governments and independent school districts are scrambling to not only contain the spread of the virus but also balance the rights and liberties of all those affected. On July 29, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order No. GA-38, which, among other things, prohibited governmental entities, including county authorities and school districts, from requiring or mandating individuals to wear face coverings. Jurisdictions that act in contravention of this executive order or issue orders that conflict with the executive order are subject to a fine of up to $1,000. Despite the language of Executive Order No. GA-38, some local entities have opted to defy the order.
Read moreVirus Snitching: Sign of the Times
“Operators are standing by to take your snitch call.”
It has been demonstrated, and widely reported since May, that near-universal mask wearing at 80% of the population or higher is crucial to flattening the COVID curve. Like Cheerios are part of a balanced breakfast, 80% compliance is effective as a complement to social distancing and excellent hand hygiene: all three are necessary to flatten the curve and get life back to near normal as we wait for a vaccine.
The fact that COVID death rates continue to rise in 30 US states and territories demonstrates how much Americans are struggling to implement solutions like near-universal mask wearing, hand hygiene, and social distancing. So far, roughly 160 days into this crisis, an effective way to get widespread buy-in on these public health initiatives has eluded us.
Person-to-person confrontation has proved unsuccessful and even dangerous, so communities have looked to leadership for norms enforcement. If the carrot of flattening the curve and saving lives won’t do the trick, leaders have increasingly reasoned, maybe the stick of consequence will. We now see many examples: anti-maskers have been arrested, had their businesses fined, and even been threatened with expulsion from elite colleges.
Because those with the authority to enforce cannot be present in all places at all times, they have increasingly relied on average citizens (and students) to “snitch” on people and businesses who refuse to comply. Many municipalities in Texas, including locally, have created hotlines to call to snitch on enemies of hygiene. The City of Frisco faced backlash when it added a feature to its app allowing residents to snitch without even making a call. Some states have created state-wide hotlines. The NBA set up its own hotline to snitch on people violating the now-famous bubble. Some colleges are encouraging student snitches to contact campus police, raising concerns among some that students of color who flout public health initiatives might face disproportionate consequence over white students. All of this puts average people in a difficult position as they have to weigh the value of ending our national COVID crisis against potential personal and societal ramifications of snitching.
Looking to snitch? Click here for who to contact in Harris, Fort Bend, or Galveston counties.
