Renzo Downey
The Biden administration says it will back up school board members and superintendents that impose school mask mandates against Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ orders.
The DeSantis administration has threatened to withhold funding for school districts that violate state rules that allow for parents to opt their children out of mask mandates. Withheld funds would target school district administrators’ paychecks.
In a letter to DeSantis Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran Friday, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the federal government could use Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to backfill withheld salaries.
“In other words, any threat by Florida to withhold salaries from superintendents and school board members who are working to protect students and educators (or to levy other financial penalties) can be addressed using ESSER funds at the sole and complete discretion of Florida school districts,” Cardona said.
DeSantis’ press secretary, Christina Pushaw, said Cardona’s letter does not change Florida’s course of action. And if school boards persist in violating the law, they could face further punishment. Pushaw hoped criminal charges wouldn’t be necessary.
Alachua and Broward county public schools are currently defying DeSantis’ prohibition of school mask mandates and the Department of Health’s rules requiring the parental opt out option. Both districts are asking parents for a doctor’s note to opt their children out of mask requirements.
Leon County Schools had a similar mask mandate in place before backing down after the further threats from Corcoran’s office.
“I want you to know that the U.S. Department of Education stands with you,” Cardona wrote in a letter to the Florida Association of School Administrators.
The latest in the showdown comes caps off the first week of school for many of Florida’s public school districts.
The DeSantis administration maintains that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on masks is not based on substantial evidence, particularly regarding younger children. Relying on that guidance undermines the letter, Pushaw said.
However, most medical experts agree wearing masks helps mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The Florida Department of Education on Friday announced an emergency Board of Education meeting to react to Alachua and Broward County’s orders. The meeting, slated for Tuesday at 4 p.m., is the board’s second emergency meeting on mask requirements this month.
The state gave the districts until 5 p.m., Friday to explain how schools would be complying with the Governor’s emergency order. In its letter, Broward County School Board said to bring on the investigation, citing the district’s responsibility to educate students with disabilities, along with the skyrocketing numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the county.
“Prioritizing parent-choice over safety and the advice of health experts in the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics threatens the safety in schools and does not promote a secure environment for students; thus, it is in direct violation of the Florida Constitutional mandates,” the letter to Corcoran says.
14 comments
Alex
August 13, 2021 at 8:27 pm
Good.
Jerry
August 13, 2021 at 8:42 pm
That’s fine. And the money the state saves can be given to parents to put their kids in private schools or homeschool. Not every parent wants to subject their kids to this never-ending tyranny.
No way would I put a kid in public school these days. Mandatory masks while teaching Critical Race Theory? No thank you.
abert m
August 13, 2021 at 10:14 pm
These morons are so worried about covid that they have been letting illegals in the country with covid n releasing them into the public . while i dont agree with everything desantis does n says voting for him is an easy choice in 2022 . the reason this publication n all other media outlets go after him twice as hard is because they are all left leaning n know hes a real threat to dems in 2024 if he decides to run n the whitehouse knows the also.
Alex
August 13, 2021 at 10:30 pm
Uh oh,
DeathsAnus lied.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/aug/06/ron-desantis/ron-desantis-effort-blame-covid-19-spread-migrants/
He’s Trump part 2
abert m
August 13, 2021 at 10:35 pm
polifact that left wing hack site haha !!! you n all ur liberal friends will be crying in 2022 little boy !!!
Alex
August 13, 2021 at 10:42 pm
Odd how Republicans suddenly love Politifact when they point out bs you like, then they’re the epitome of righteousness.
Lol
That’s called blatant hypocrisy.
abert m
August 13, 2021 at 10:52 pm
i dont know one republican that trusts anything politifact says n as far as illegals in country let loose with covid if u actually believe they cant spread covid then i got some land to sell u in kabul, afghanistan lol!!
Alex
August 13, 2021 at 10:56 pm
Your alcoholic neighbor and your bowling team huh?
Yawn.
abert m
August 13, 2021 at 11:12 pm
na i dont bowl but maybe u living in a tralier park in ur double wide u might have more alcholic neighbors than me . so u have a good night n dont let the bed bugs bite u demonrat liberal!!!
Alex
August 13, 2021 at 11:24 pm
Bwahaha!!!
If your trailer park neighbors read this they might stop bringing that good Skol vodka over for you since you lost your license.
May God Damn & Smite Republicans
August 14, 2021 at 12:38 am
Florida at one time was a democratic leader : Gov Leroy Collins
Gov Bob Graham Gov Lawton Chiles : Hell Doyle Conner was Agriculture Commissioner for 40 years : wtf the happened in FL : how di these god damn scum po republicans infiltrate what was once a bastion of American Democracy: as Bill Gunter (fmr INS Commissioner & ran for senate 4 times) used to Say : Florida is America’s bright spot: wtf the laws 7 rules were changed no longer are the Cabinet Positions elected office : there is no accountability in Fl government : the scum republicans consolidated all power under the governor what a mistake & now Fl no longer has Govt in the Sunshine : May God Damn and Smite all republicans with cancer or covid Fl its the bastion of fraudsters & republican scum : even house retardikan kevin mcarthy went down to mar a lago to suck the infected sperm from dumps dick
mrs laura lowell
August 14, 2021 at 8:23 am
IN NYC ADVANCED CATHOLIC DR LARRY MYERS SUPPORTS PRES BIDEN __CATHOLIC _ IN HIS DECIUSION
MYERS;’
“AMBIDEXTERITY”
is about the mask battle
vaccination Covid & Catholicism
PLAYWRIGHTS SANCTUARY
Anna
August 16, 2021 at 8:56 pm
My neighbor’s aunt makes 62 every hour on the internet..f she has been without work for eight months but the previous month her revenue was 19022 only working on the laptop 5 hours a day..
check this….. http://SwagTip.com
Shar
August 23, 2021 at 7:43 pm
Of course Biden’s administration would back this. That’s what communist tyrants do. They want to take away the God given rights of parents to raise their own kids and lock down, shut down everything they can. It’s called communism.
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