The Florida Department of Education announced Monday it is withholding funding from two school districts due to implemented mask mandates.
Richard Corcoran, the state’s education commissioner, said the department is withholding funding for the monthly salaries of the school board members for Alachua and Broward counties. Both school districts implemented mask mandates that did not give parents the option to opt out of them, violating a state executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that prevents school boards from requiring school staff and students to wear masks.
Flordia’s DOE announced in a statement that the funds would be denied “until each school board complies with state law and rules.”
Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Carlee Simon said she was “very troubled” by the state DOE’s announcement in a Tuesday statement.
FIVE GOP GOVERNORS FACE CIVIL RIGHTS INQUIRIES OVER BANS ON MASK MANDATES
The Florida Department of Education has gone through with its threat of withholding monthly school board member salaries who violate Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates, even though a judge has already ruled the ban on mandates is unconstitutional.https://t.co/I2Onxob8W3
— CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami) August 30, 2021
“Our School Board members made a courageous decision to protect the health and lives of students, staff and the people of this community, and a court has already ruled they had the legal right to do so,” Simon said. “They deserve praise, not penalties.”
Simon said her district has begun to work with other districts on taking legal action.
“We believe this is a necessary step to ensure that Florida’s districts have the right to act in the best interests of those they serve,” she said.
Simon was echoed by Broward County Public Schools interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, who said her district would comply with the imposed sanctions.
“The health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff continue to be our main priorities,” Cartwright said. “As such, BCPS will continue to mandate masks.”
The DOE’s announcement conflicts with a county judge who ruled that the governor’s executive order was “without legal authority.” The judge also issued an injunction preventing the state from withholding funding from districts that institute mask mandates.
According to a report, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said any financial penalties imposed on the districts could be addressed with federal funds.
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Thus far, approximately 10 Florida school districts have imposed mask mandates conflicting with DeSantis’s order.
