Fla. to withhold funding if local school boards maintain unlawful mask orders

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:41 PM PT – Saturday, August 21, 2021

Florida’s Board of Education has given two school districts 48 hours to comply with the parent-opt-out of local mask mandates. On Friday, the agency released a statement condemning the school boards of Alachua and Broward counties for “a blatant violation of the Parents’ Bill of Rights.”

Both counties have instituted mask requirements for all students and staff, regardless of their vaccination status. In June, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed the Parents’ Bill of Rights, giving parents the ability to disregard local mask ordinances for their children in public schools.

Forcing kids to wear masks is bad policy. Parents are best equipped to decide whether they want their kids to wear a mask in school. Neither bureaucrats in Washington nor local authorities should be able to override the decision of the parents. pic.twitter.com/1TyFByAaWf

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) July 28, 2021

“It is important to remember that this issue is about ensuring local school board members, elected politicians, follow the law,” said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. “These are the initial consequences to their intentional refusal to follow state law and state rule to purposefully and willingly violate the rights of parents.”

After the 48 hours, the state is expected to withhold funds proportionally to the number of school board members who voted to impose the unlawful mask mandates on the children.

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