Cooper's ruling is the culmination of a four-day hearing. It was a highlight of the local fighting over masks in the face of an increase in new infections. Ten school boards in the state have passed mask mandates that go against the governor's orders. This angered parents who don't want their children covered on campus. Nearly half of Florida's 2.8 million students attend schools that require masks.
DeSantis and Biden have also been involved in a proxy war, which has seen them support school districts as they try to implement facial covering requirements.
DeSantis' response to Covid-19 over the past 16 months could be seen as a crucial test. This case could also serve as a key test.
The top Democratic challengers to DeSantis in the 2022 governor's election were quick to take Friday's ruling to criticize the governor.
Nikki Fried, Agriculture Commissioner, said it was time to end this absurd, politically motivated fight. Meanwhile, Charlie Crist, Rep., said that teachers, students and parents were collateral damage in his political crusade.
Officials from DeSantis stated that it was not surprising for Cooper to rule against parents' rights and in favor of elected officials. Taryn Fenske, a spokesperson, said in a statement.
Fenske stated that this ruling was made without coherent justifications and wasn't based on science or facts. We are used to Leon County Circuit Court not following law and being reversed on appeal. This is exactly what happened last school year in the case regarding the school reopening.
The so-called Parents Bill of Rights, which was passed by the GOP-dominated Florida Legislature to block school mask mandates, was the root of the DeSantis executive orders and emergency rules. It was signed by the governor earlier in the year.
Cooper stated that while the state claims that schools cannot mandate masks, Cooper pointed out a key part of the law that allows schools to bypass the law. Cooper explained that the state would need to challenge schools on their face to meet the requirements for covering before they could drop any sanctions.
Cooper stated Friday that it doesn't ban mandates for masks.
Cooper criticized the DeSantis administration and governors' executive order. Cooper cited a Brown University study and slammed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines which recommend that students wear masks on campus. DeSantis has often praised the Brown study. It found no correlation between mask mandates and lower transmission rates, according to DeSantis' order.
But Cooper disagreed.
Cooper stated that the statement in Cooper's executive order was simply incorrect. Cooper said that the study did not show any correlation to mask mandates.
Cooper noted that DeSantis had cherry-picked data and that the defense presented exhibits which undercut their actions. Cooper pointed out that Florida follows CDC guidelines and he disagreed with DeSantis event officials who claimed that requiring students wear masks was child cruelty.
Cooper stated that he has not seen any scientific evidence to support Cooper's statement.
Cooper stopped the Florida Department of Education's enforcement of sanctions against school districts that require facial coverings by removing the mask rules from the DeSantis administration. For defying DeSantis, school leaders in Alachua County and Broward counties will be subject to fines and strict reporting requirements. The Biden administration pledged financial support to local boards that are punished.
DeSantis is set to appeal. The likely Coopers ruling is put on hold by a stay. Schools with mask requirements are still in limbo.
Similar events occurred last year when DeSantis was sued by the largest teacher union in the state for pushing schools to reopen at the state level. This was contrary to local school boards. DeSantis won the victory after a circuit court judge sided in favor of teachers. However, DeSantis' appeals court win overturned that decision.
