masks

Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration has asked an appeals court to block challenges filed by five school boards against a Department of Health rule aimed at preventing students from being forced to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A federal judge Wednesday rejected a request by parents of disabled children to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper on Thursday released a written ruling that said Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his constitutional authority in a July 30 executive order that sought to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks.

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran announced Monday that the state Department of Education has withheld funds from the Alachua and Broward county school districts in amounts equal to school board members’ monthly salaries.

A Leon County judge says the state cannot selectively enforce part of a law—and that the Parents Bill of Rights—which the administration has used to justify its mask ban—does NOT allow the state to issue blanket prohibitions. The ruling is likely to be appealed, but for now, school districts can keep their mask policies.

A ruling is expected Friday in a lawsuit over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ effort to ban school districts from requiring students wear face masks. Closing arguments are slated for Thursday.

Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday began calling witnesses to back the state’s case against allowing school districts to impose student mask mandates, as a hearing continued in a lawsuit challenging a DeSantis executive order.

The Leon County school board is upholding a decision by superintendent Rocky Hanna to reinstitute a mandatory school mask policy. The policy survived an attempt by board members DeeDee Rasmussen and Alva Striplin to overturn it.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis’ effort to stop school districts from mandating students wear masks is in court this week. A Leon County judge is hearing a lawsuit brought by a dozen parents who want to overturn the governor’s mandate ban. DeSantis says school districts that require masks risk losing funding.