Renzo Downey
Gov. Ron DeSantis says President Joe Biden is “obsessed” with masking children in schools after the President leveled another admonishment against Republican governors blocking local mask orders.
On Fox News’ “Hannity” Wednesday evening, DeSantis and host Sean Hannity said Biden is attacking GOP governors over mask policies to distract from the crisis in Afghanistan. DeSantis pointed to other crises, too, like the rising number of immigrants at the border and inflation.
“He is obsessed with having the government force kindergarteners to wear masks all day in school,” he said. “In Florida, we believe that that’s the parents’ decision. Joe Biden thinks the federal government should come and overrule the parents and force these young kids to wear these masks.
“You’ve got to wonder, where are your priorities that you’re so obsessed with this issue and so obsessed with taking away parents’ rights, and you’re letting Afghanistan burn, our border burn and so many other things in our country fall to pieces,” the Governor continued.
Earlier in the day, Biden told reporters he had instructed Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to take additional steps to protect children in schools, even legal action if appropriate.
“We’re not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children,” Biden said.
DeSantis, who has likened masking children to muzzling them, and the Florida Department of Health have issued rules against mask mandates in public schools amid the state’s fourth COVID-19 surge. Alachua and Broward county schools implemented mandates in defiance of the state, drawing the State Board of Education to call those policies unlawful. Despite that, Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties’ school boards voted to implement mask mandates Wednesday, as promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Biden called interim Broward Superintendent Vickie Cartwright on Friday to voice his support for the district’s policies. That followed the President’s announcement that his administration was researching ways to intervene when states prevent local governments from requiring masks in schools.
And the President predicted he would have “a lot to say” about children in schools next week.
Speaking in Pembroke Pines on Wednesday, DeSantis said the state’s preemption of school mask mandates isn’t personal but, instead, a matter of state law. He pointed to a new law dubbed the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The law empowers parents — rather than government — to direct a child’s upbringing on educational and health care issues.
Any insinuation otherwise, DeSantis suggested, is self-serving.
“If you make it about me, you get on CNN,” DeSantis said. “They’ll like you if you do that.”
Earlier this month, Biden and DeSantis went back-and-forth over the Governor’s executive order banning masks mandates in schools. After Biden told DeSantis and other Republicans to “get out of the way” of local governments trying to combat the virus, DeSantis responded, telling the President that he was “standing in your way” and “I don’t want to hear a blip about COVID from you.” Biden’s quip in return: “Governor who?“
13 comments
Tom
August 18, 2021 at 10:54 pm
Yes he’s correct. Magnificent performance on Hannity by America’s Governor tonight.
Great outline on the monoclonal therapies offers, strike force with new centers opening.
What a example of leadership by the ex military officer.
David Hicks
August 22, 2021 at 9:06 pm
Monoclonal antibody therapy is for those already infected and showing serious symptoms, are expensive and labor intensive, Masking and social distancing are preventive. Why not prevent in the first place?
Sonja Fitch
August 19, 2021 at 3:22 am
Duffus Desantis is willingly slaughtering Floridians and our CHILDREN! Duffus Desantis is so obsessed with getting the money ! Prevention Duffus Desantis! Our children under 12 have no vaccine! The pediatric ICU are full of our dying children! Lock up Duffus Desantis for criminal negligence! Get out Desantis!
Indie
August 19, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Sonja, look up death rates. Lowest since the pandemic began. Look at BOTH sides and then dare to have an independent thought. Fears sells. Our children are not dying. You are being distracted.
David
August 22, 2021 at 9:17 pm
Some children are dying, mainly because of the Delta variant. And kids can pass it on to adults. Yeah, fear sells. no reason to be afraid of masks, distancing, and vaccines.
Tom
August 19, 2021 at 4:20 am
Sonja Mentally incapacitated.
David
August 22, 2021 at 9:09 pm
No all you ignorant and arrogant anti-vaxxers and anti-scientists are. DeSantis is clueless and delusional and uncaring.
Phil Morton
August 19, 2021 at 5:03 am
Israel requires masks for everyone 3 years old and up indoors. I thought DeSantis liked Israel.
just sayin
August 19, 2021 at 8:48 am
And everyone in Israel is vaccinated. So pretty much masks forever, right?
David
August 22, 2021 at 9:13 pm
No. Only until enough people become immune.
Ron Ogden
August 19, 2021 at 7:17 am
Message to these pansy school board members: you believe in transgenderism, don’t you? Well then, grow some! Stand up for freedom! Stand up for America!
David
August 22, 2021 at 9:12 pm
Backing transgenderism is standing up for America. The brave board members are not pansies: they are oaks.
Anna
August 21, 2021 at 2:25 pm
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