Topline
The Florida State Board of Education decided Thursday to withhold funds from eight districts that had imposed mask mandates, in violation of a state ban. It also moved to stop the U.S. Department of Educations plan for federal grants to help those districts.
Baldwin Park Elementary School, Orlando, Florida: Students arrive wearing masks. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Key Facts
Richard Corcoran, Education Commissioner, recommended that the board withhold state funds equivalent to school board salaries. This has been done in several districts. It also holds funding equal to any federal grant money received by the district because of its mask mandate. Two districts in Broward and Alachua counties have received federal funds. However, the punishment of the board also applies to schools who have not yet been granted federal grants. Project SAFE is a grant program that the U.S. Department of Education created to assist schools who have been penalized by their state governments for violating Covid-19 mitigation measures such as mask mandates. Officials from the school districts claimed they were in compliance with the state law during a meeting of Florida State Board of Education. They provided exceptions such as medical exemptions and have provisions that allow for the lifting of mask orders in the event of Covid-19 transmission. The board withdrew votes on three school districts that were initially supposed to be up for punishmentHillsborough, Sarasota and Indian River countiesbecause those counties have loosened their mask policies and are now in line with the state policy.
Important Quote
If federal funds are used to backfill school districts or to buy them out, this board's enforcement authority can be null and removed.
Chief Critic
Rachel Thomas, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education, stated in a Forbes statement that Corcorans' recommendation to cancel federal grant funds was deeply troubling. State leaders' attempts to punish schools is an abdication of duty to protect children.
Important Background
Florida is among at least 10 states that have banned or restricted school mask mandates. However, many of these measures have been temporarily overturned in court. Multiple studies have proven that mask mandates can be used to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in schools. Florida's controversial policy was the result of a large Covid-19 increase in Florida, which at the time was one of the most dangerous in the world. Although the number of daily new cases is declining, schools across Florida have experienced Covid-19 epidemics and fatalities, and some schools had to switch to virtual learning.
What to Watch
Multiple lawsuits against Florida's school mask ban ban are still pending. This could lead to the policy being struck down. The policy was temporarily blocked by a judge who ruled that it did not conform to state law. However, an appeals court restored it while the legal battle continues. On Wednesday, six Florida counties that have school mask mandates filed a second lawsuit against the state. This challenged the policy's validity and said it did not comply with state law. An appeals court reinstated the policy while the legal challenge continues.
Tangent
Arizona also penalized schools that have mask orders by withholding federal funding from schools. The U.S. Treasury Department ordered Gov. Doug Ducey has been ordered by the U.S. Treasury Department to make federal funds available for these schools. However, Arizona's school mask mandate ban was overturned in court.
Continue reading
Florida School Mask Wars: The Commissioner Wants to Punish Schools that Take Biden Plan Funding (Forbes).
Biden Administration Pays Money to Florida Schools for Imposing Mask Mandates Against State Rules.
Broward school district receives federal funds to repay money withheld from the state for masks (Miami Herald).
Florida will not punish Hillsborough and Sarasota school district for violating the updated mask rules (WTSP).
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