TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – More than a million Florida students are currently attending school under a mask mandate with no parental opt-out, as Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Department of Education continue to ramp up pressure on the districts out of compliance.
A group of faith leaders gathered Tuesday to plead with the governor to reverse course.
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In the capital county, there have been two pediatric COVID-19 deaths over the course of a month.
It led the school district to remove the ability to opt-out of its mask mandate and faith leaders to join the push for universal masking in schools.
“We firmly believe that the right thing is to allow local governments to make their decisions,” said Rev. Dr. RB Holmes with Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.
Joined by other community leaders, they called directly on DeSantis to end his battle with school districts that have gone forward with mandates with no parental opt-out.
“Governor DeSantis, stop being a bully. Stop being a bully, stop putting politics before our children, stop putting politics before our families,” said Leon County ACLU President Mutaqee Akbar.
They also want DeSantis to once again declare a state of emergency.
“I think the numbers are there to justify a state of emergency. Allowing local governments to be able to make decisions that they think are in the best interest of their people,” said Holmes.
School board members in the first two districts to defy the opt-out requirement are expected to lose their paychecks, but so far, no penalties for the six others that joined them have been approved.
And the religious leaders said they’re happy the federal government has offered to make up any financial penalties districts incur over the masking issue.
“Thank God the federal government is gonna make them whole and I think that’s a good thing,” said Holmes.
Texas’ Governor recently allowed local mask mandates to stay in place as the issue is litigated in the courts.
Despite multiple lawsuits in Florida, DeSantis has refused to back down.
A ruling on a lawsuit brought by parents against Florida’s mask-optional mandate is expected Thursday.