Texas man strips off clothing at school board meeting while expressing thoughts on masks

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KTRK) -- A Texas man stripped down to his boxers while at a Dripping Springs ISD school board meeting to express his bare thoughts on masks in schools.

The nearly four-hour-long meeting was held on Monday, Aug. 23, and about 30 minutes in, James Akers went up to the mic to express his thoughts.

"I'm here to say I do not like government, or any other entity telling me what to do," Akers began. "But, sometimes I've got to push the envelope a little bit, and I've just decided that I'm going to not just talk about it, but I'm going to walk the walk."

As he continued his discussion about the laws in place, Akers began to take off pieces of clothing.

"At work, they make me wear this jacket. I hate it. They make me wear this shirt and tie. I hate it," he said. "On the way over here I ran three stop signs and four red lights. I almost killed somebody out there. But, by God, it's my roads too. So I have every right to drive as fast as I want to."

The 15-year resident of Dripping Springs, who has a child in high school, ended his discussion in only his underwear before the mic was turned off and he left.

On Tuesday, according to KXAN, Akers told them the decision to speak before the board came as tensions and divisions ran high in the district.

Masks in Dripping Springs ISD, which is located outside of Austin, are not required but rather recommended.

KXAN reported the school district declined to comment on Akers' public remarks.

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