Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Florida Governor is being defied by some schools Ron DeSantis's ban against mask mandates.
DeSantis threatened to withhold pay from those school leaders who aren't complying.
Biden's education secretary stated that school districts can apply federal relief funds for salaries.
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As Florida's school boards battle against Gov. Rick Scott, the Biden administration provided financial assistance. Ron DeSantis concerns school mask requirements.
Republican DeSantis signed an order just weeks prior to school returning to session. It prohibited Florida schools to require students to wear face masks and threatened with withholding state funding to schools that did not comply.
After some schools refused to comply with the governor's order to maintain a mask mandate, DeSantis threatened that he would withhold the salaries of superintendents and members of school boards who enforce mandates.
The US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stated that the Biden administration supports school leaders' efforts in a Friday letter addressed to DeSantis.
Continue reading: Democrats must stand up against politically powerful unions, which are standing in their way of America getting fully vaccinated
Cardona wrote that the Department is standing by these dedicated educators, who are trying to safely reopen schools as well as maintain safe instruction in-person.
He said that schools without state funding can use federal relief funds for pandemic-related expenses to pay salaries of school officials.
He wrote that any threat from Florida to withhold salaries of superintendents or school board members working to protect students, educators (or to levy financial penalties) could be addressed" using federal relief funds "at Florida school districts' sole and complete discretion."
He stated that the federal government would continue to work directly with Florida's school districts and educators regarding COVID-19 precautions if it does not cooperate with the Biden administration.
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A spokesperson for DeSantis stated that the White House would rather spend money on the salaries of elected politicians and superintendents than on Florida's students.
As Florida experiences one the worst COVID-19 spikes in the US, the battle for mask mandates is raging. Florida is experiencing record-breaking daily cases and an increase in hospitalizations.
Three unvaccinated teachers from Broward County, Florida died earlier this week of COVID-19.
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