Parents in Florida concerned about their unvaccinated school-aged children are supporting – or forcing – local schools and school boards, and local governments to implement mask mandates in defiance of Ron DeSantis’ ban. The Republican governor has banned any government agency or local government from implementing a mask or vaccine mandate as the Sunshine State remains among the top states in the nation for number of adults hospitalized for coronavirus, number of children hospitalized for coronavirus, and number of new coronavirus cases – and number of new coronavirus deaths.
“Florida has the highest number of children hospitalized from COVID of any state in the country,” Newsweek reports Monday. The even-stronger delta plus variant has also surfaced in Florida.
As it turns out, the governor’s executive order banning implementation of mask bans carries little actual effect.
“The Office of Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Board of Education could withhold the salaries of superintendents and school board members who defy the governor’s executive order prohibiting mask mandates,” CBS 4 reports.
That’s hardly a deterrent to parents when faced with sending their unvaccinated children to school with other unvaccinated children.
“At least four school districts have plans to defy the governor’s orders,” ArsTechnica reports, calling Florida “in revolt.”
Meanwhile, some Florida parents are suing DeSantis over his mask ban, saying it violates the state constitution.
A few responses to the news: