Parents and legal guardians are denied the right to make basic health and educational decisions about their children. They can't compel local school boards to follow the law and they know it.
Even though DeSantis tried to block the mandates, Miami-Dade Hillsborough, Broward and Alachua counties also require masks for students. The emergency meeting of Sarasota County's school board will be held Friday afternoon to discuss its mask mandate for students.
Last week, the Biden administration stated that school districts could apply federal Covid-19 relief for school budgets that are cut because they require face coverings. This seemed to ease the potential loss of state cash over mandates.
Cardona agreed with the statement Friday, saying that the administration had "made it clear to district leaders" that financial penalties imposed on them by the state could be addressed immediately.
Richard Corcoran, Education Commissioner, urged the state board earlier this week to ignore the U.S. Department of Educations decision not to intervene in the local scrap mask.
As the highly contagious Delta variant spreads, political debates over mask-wearing are intensifying. Additionally, Covid-19 is seeing an increase in children being admitted to hospital.
The state board granted Corcoran permission to withhold 1/12th of the total annual compensation for Broward or Alachua board member on a monthly basis. They warn that this is a first step.
Both counties' superintendents are responsible for compiling reports that document how their school district enforces its unlawful face covering mandate policy. These could include a list of any student sent home, isolated, or stigmatized because they wore face covers.
These reports will continue until Broward or Alachua comply with state regulations, which requires school districts to give students the option to opt out of any mandates.
Officials from Alachua County stated Friday that the mandate for their mask would remain in place. Broward County Public Schools officials were not available for comment immediately.
We are still working on a response but we intend to keep the course," Jackie Johnson, director for communications and community initiatives at Alachua County Public Schools said in an interview.
