As COVID-19 rates continue to increase throughout the US, many states have imposed mask mandates in indoor settings. Florida, however, has not mandated mask-wearing indoors — affording private businesses free rein in mask policies and allowing all publicly funded institutions to be mask-optional.
Schools are a particularly important and controversial topic surrounding mask mandate discussion. Elementary-aged students are not eligible to be vaccinated yet, and there still are many middle and high school students who have opted not to receive a vaccine. This leaves students and teachers in public schools particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Broward and Alachua County School Districts were the first to forgo DeSantis’s mask mandate ban and require masks. DeSantis gave both counties warnings and then responded to the defiance by announcing he would be cutting funds from the school districts. The Florida Department of Education stated it would withhold the school board member’s salaries, around $40,000-$50,000.
Even following this warning, many other school districts joined Broward and Alachua county with thirteen counties overriding DeSantis’s policy and enforcing masks in their school districts. President Biden guaranteed his support and the government’s funding to these counties, ensuring them that they would not face monetary penalties.
In fact, more than half of the students in Florida’s public schools attended schools that required masks despite the ban.
A number of parents, especially those with children who have disabilities, sued DeSantis for not allowing a mask mandate in school, arguing that DeSantis was acting in violation of the law which maintains that public schools should be a safe and secure place. Eventually, on August 27th, Judge John C. Cooper blocked Florida’s ban against mask mandates, denying DeSantis’s initial move.
Following Judge Cooper’s ruling, DeSantis’s lawyers quickly filed an appeal. The First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee sided in favor of DeSantis, overruling the initial judgment.
DeSantis responded positively to this decision, posting on Twitter: “No surprise here – the 1st DCA has restored the right of parents to make the best decisions for their children. I will continue to fight for parents’ rights.”
Although DeSantis currently has the law on his side, there still are over ten school districts that require students to wear masks. In upcoming weeks, Florida will witness the struggle between finding the balance between protecting the health of students and teachers and still affording parents the freedom and liberty to make their own choices for their children.