South Florida Senator ‘can’t believe’ threat to remove School Board members

taddeo
She compared the threat to actions taken in dictatorships.

The State Board of Education’s threat Tuesday to remove School Board members who disobey Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on mandatory mask mandates for students has one state Senator on edge, thinking it’s too reminiscent of countries many of her constituents have fled.

Miami-Dade Sen. Annette Taddeo tweeted Politico’s story about the board members’ possible removal with a suggestion it sounds like something controversial leaders Nicolás Maduro Moros, Fidel Castro and Daniel Ortega would do.

https://twitter.com/Annette_Taddeo/status/1427836865978281985?s=20

This kind of action should be reserved for when elected officials are under investigation charge for actual wrongdoing, she said.

“To remove school board members elected by the people because they disagree with his (DeSantis’) frankly unconstitutional order to not allow local, elected boards to make decisions on what is best for their community … it’s insane,” Taddeo said. “This is the way that a dictator behaves. I can’t believe I’m witnessing this.”

But Christina Pushaw, the Governor’s spokeswoman, said tyranny is exactly what her boss is fighting against.

“Limiting the power of government to infringe upon the rights of parents to raise their own children is exactly the opposite of what happens in Communist dictatorships,” she said.

As COVID-19 cases have spiked in the state, Alachua and Broward counties’ school boards voted to require students to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. Students are exempt from mask-wearing only with a medical reason documented by a doctor. DeSantis and State Education Board members say that requirement violates parents’ rights to make medical decisions for their children.

Defiance of DeSantis’ order is spreading. Taddeo said she plans to go to the Miami-Dade County School Board meeting Wednesday to urge the board to follow its medical experts’ advice to require face coverings for all students indoors unless they have a doctor’s note.

Taddeo said she found the invocation of parents’ rights during a pandemic ridiculous.

“Is he (DeSantis) going to remove the seat belt law because parents decide not to put them on?” she asked rhetorically. “Are we no longer going to have car seats for babies because it’s my right to put them in the front seat if I want? We have rules in society and the Governor is not king.”

Anne Geggis

Anne Geggis is a South Florida journalist who began her career in Vermont and has worked at the Sun-Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal and the Gainesville Sun covering government issues, health and education. She was a member of the Sun-Sentinel team that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Parkland high school shooting. You can reach her on Twitter @AnneBoca or by emailing [email protected].


19 comments

  • Sonja Fitch

    August 19, 2021 at 3:37 am

    Hey when you Duffus Desantis,the top drug dealer for the pharma drug cartel ,threatens innocent folks, time to lock up Duffus Desantis ! Duffus Desantis ain’t notin but a damn cheap ass drug dealer! Get out Desantis!

  • Really?

    August 19, 2021 at 7:26 am

    I’m sorry, Ms. Fitch, but it was my understanding that comments were to be civil, have a point, and ‘should’ have some truth to them. You are one angry person.

  • Gregonovitch

    August 19, 2021 at 4:51 pm

    The “rights of parents” is why we have Child Protective Services.

    • Matthew Lusk

      August 20, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      Nothing a beat cop can’t handle long term. Child protective services is rife with peadophiles about as bad as the Vatican is rife with sodomites.

  • Matthew Lusk

    August 20, 2021 at 1:42 pm

    I can’t wait for the day when all schools return to private administration and deep state karens are unemployable.

  • Jerry

    August 20, 2021 at 4:51 pm

    So it’s dictatorship because DeSantis won’t allow local governments to be authoritarians? You liberals want to glue masks to everyone’s face, force injections, and threaten anyone who doesn’t follow your never-ending restrictions. In my book, THAT is a dictatorship. And not a government I want to live under.

    All we want is freedom, the right to control our own bodies, and for the government to leave us the hell alone! We are not looking to control anyone! You can wear a mask and get all the vaccines you want! I promise that I will not stop you or criticize you in any way. No one will stop you. All I ask is that you LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

    • Greg

      August 21, 2021 at 3:06 pm

      It’s been amazing to me watching the left twist the banning of mandatory mask mandates as being “authoritarian”.. Like wtf, they’re banning your ability to impose legitimate government authoritarianism. The mental gymnastics has been fascinating to watch.

    • Shar

      August 23, 2021 at 6:07 pm

      Yea. Whatever happened to my body my choice? I guess that only applies to killing babies. But the left doesn’t care about my body my choice when it doesn’t fit their agenda.

  • Anna

    August 21, 2021 at 1:50 pm

    My neighbor’s aunt makes 62 every hour on the internet..jji 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..

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  • Andrew Finn

    August 21, 2021 at 7:09 pm

    You are exactly right Senator Taddeo. The Emperor DeSantis is not “The King of Florida” even though he thinks he is (of course he thinks he is a real Governor too) and needs to be put back in his place in state government. Yes, no seatbelt law – “it’s my right to decide”. Must wear shoes and shirts – no – “it’s my right to decide”. Speed limit signs – no – “it’s my right to decide how fast I can drive” —— see how stupid it can get ??

    • Michelle

      August 21, 2021 at 7:25 pm

      omg that was such a stupid statment LMAO.
      Govenor is protecting parents rights – you want to take them away and leave them in the local governments’ hands? RIDICULOUS!

      • Andrew Finn

        August 22, 2021 at 11:14 am

        Exactly. The local governments have better knowledge of local needs and can do a better job than that idiot in Tallahassee.

  • Poppy

    August 23, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    Since I started with my online business,JHG I earn $25 every 15 minutes. It sounds unbelievable but you won’t forgive yourself if you don’t check it out.
    Learn more about it here… http://amazingjobs.tk

  • Matthew Lusk

    August 24, 2021 at 11:45 am

    Annette is a strap-on toting misandrist. She is projecting her misinterpretation of male authoritarianism. Her root problem is rebellion against God. Women and homosexual men should not involve themselves with governing.

  • Matthew Lusk

    August 24, 2021 at 11:57 am

    Annette Goldstein, imagine operating your car sitting on the roof with no seatbelt. Ok, you just imagined a motorcycle. Nothing from you on the issue. Crickets. Hypocrite!

  • Matthew Lusk

    August 24, 2021 at 12:01 pm

    I wish the NSA would stop screwing with my communications. I’ve never seen that pic in my last comment. Would not mind having his haircut though.

  • Skye

    August 24, 2021 at 1:44 pm

    hi helo

  • Skye

    August 24, 2021 at 1:47 pm

    My neighbor’s aunt makes 62 every hour on the internet..she has been without work for eight months but the previous month her revenue was 15042 only working on the laptop 4 hours a day..

    check this ……

  • No Masks!

    August 25, 2021 at 12:36 pm

    Lol. Any time the left complains about the right, they literally accuse them of the very thing they are doing themselves. Its gas lighting. They’re addicted to it. Oh, and they’re scum bags.

    PS: Statistics and actual in depth studies revealed the masks do not prevent transmission, and actually reduced oxygen levels in your blood, which weakens your immune system! No thanks.

Comments are closed.


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