15 Miami-Dade school staffers die of COVID in 10 days amid DeSantis' war on mask mandates
3 years, 3 months ago

15 Miami-Dade school staffers die of COVID in 10 days amid DeSantis' war on mask mandates

Salon  

On Friday, NBC 6 Miami reported that 15 staffers and educators in the Miami-Dade County school system have died of COVID 19 — just in the past ten days. "Miami-Dade County Public Schools resumed classes on Aug. 23, and it's unknown when the employees contracted COVID-19." Coleman helped shape the lives of hundreds of young men over the years during his service for the organization that mentors young minority men in Miami Dade County." Ron DeSantis has continued to attack mask mandates, seeking to prohibit school districts around the state from enacting them — even as some districts in Republican strongholds acknowledge the need for mask rules.

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History of this topic

Sources: Crist picks teachers union leader as running mate
2 years, 3 months ago

Sources: Crist picks teachers union leader as running mate

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist is expected to announce that he has chosen the Miami-Dade County teachers union president to be his running mate as he challenges Republican Gov. United Teachers of Dade President Karla Hernandez-Mats will be announced as Crist’s running mate on Saturday, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the …

Florida Gov DeSantis berates students for wearing masks
2 years, 9 months ago

Florida Gov DeSantis berates students for wearing masks

Associated Press  

TAMPA, Fla. — A visibly annoyed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admonished a group of high school students for wearing face masks at an indoor news conference Wednesday, saying it was time to stop what he called “this COVID theater.” The Republican governor approached the students and asked them to remove their masks as they waited for him at the press …

Florida’s new coronavirus guidance: ‘Buck the CDC’
2 years, 9 months ago

Florida’s new coronavirus guidance: ‘Buck the CDC’

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Thursday announced new coronavirus policy recommendations that discourage mask-wearing and push physicians to use off-label medications to treat the virus. “We are empowering health care practitioners to follow science, not Fauci’s status quo.” The announcement came a day before President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to …

As state mask rules end, school leaders are in the middle
2 years, 10 months ago

As state mask rules end, school leaders are in the middle

Associated Press  

As some of the last statewide mask mandates in the U.S. near an end, decisions about whether students and teachers should continue to wear masks in school are shifting to local leaders, who are caught in the middle of one of the most combustible issues of the pandemic. If the decision had to be made right away, he said, his …

Last 3 Florida school districts drop student mask mandates
3 years, 1 month ago

Last 3 Florida school districts drop student mask mandates

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The last three school districts …

How long will Covid-19 masking rules last?
3 years, 1 month ago

How long will Covid-19 masking rules last?

CNN  

CNN — A federal court judge’s decision to strike down Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on school mask rules for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act could reverberate around the country and make new children eligible for the requirements. Atlanta’s mayor declared the city a “green zone” and said dropping Covid-19 cases allowed her to follow the science and lift …

Florida: Miami-Date and Broward school districts relax mask protocols amid improving Covid-19 conditions
3 years, 1 month ago

Florida: Miami-Date and Broward school districts relax mask protocols amid improving Covid-19 conditions

CNN  

CNN — Two of Florida’s largest school districts are easing their face mask protocols because officials say they’re seeing improved Covid-19 conditions, weeks after tensions peaked between local and state officials regarding the policy. Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Broward County School Board announced Tuesday their decisions to remove requirements for K-8 students and staff to wear face coverings, …

Florida Board of Education votes to sanction 8 school districts with mask mandates with no opt-out
3 years, 2 months ago

Florida Board of Education votes to sanction 8 school districts with mask mandates with no opt-out

CNN  

CNN — The Florida Board of Education on Thursday voted to sanction eight school districts that have instituted Covid-19 mask mandates without giving parents the ability to opt their students out. Additionally, the Department of Health had a “clear inability” to complete contact tracing, case investigations and timely notifications to impacted families, she said, which had “a direct impact of …

COVID vaccine and mask fury shakes up California schools
3 years, 2 months ago

COVID vaccine and mask fury shakes up California schools

LA Times  

Downtown Sutter Creek in Amador County, where a parent assaulted a teacher because of a COVID-19 mask mandate in schools, according to school officials. In the second full academic year of the pandemic, such behavior has reared its head on school campuses across the U.S. Demonstrators opposed to masking and mandatory vaccination for students gather outside the Los Angeles Unified …

SC school mask mandate ban disrupts learning, groups say
3 years, 3 months ago

SC school mask mandate ban disrupts learning, groups say

Associated Press  

COLUMBIA, S.C. — As the South Carolina Supreme Court mulls the legality of a state rule that effectively bans masks in most schools, health care workers and educators are renewing calls for state lawmakers to repeal the provision altogether. Pediatricians and school nurses joined state education groups at a news conference Tuesday to warn that lawmakers’ inaction will only continue …

Schools get the brunt of latest COVID wave in South Carolina
3 years, 3 months ago

Schools get the brunt of latest COVID wave in South Carolina

Associated Press  

COLUMBIA, S.C. — In the past few weeks, South Carolina has set records for COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases have approached peak levels of last winter. Henry McMaster has maintained that parents alone should decide if children wear masks in schools, even as the state’s new cases soared from 150 a day on average to more than 5,000. The Republican-dominated …

Court: DeSantis ban on school mask mandates back in force
3 years, 3 months ago

Court: DeSantis ban on school mask mandates back in force

Associated Press  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw said in a tweet that the appeals court decision means “the rule requiring ALL Florida school districts to protect parents’ rights to make choices about masking kids is BACK in effect!” The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday it has begun a new grant …

Court sides with Florida’s Ron DeSantis and reinstates school mask mandate ban pending appeal
3 years, 3 months ago

Court sides with Florida’s Ron DeSantis and reinstates school mask mandate ban pending appeal

The Independent  

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Judge: Florida can’t enforce ban on school mask mandates
3 years, 3 months ago

Judge: Florida can’t enforce ban on school mask mandates

Associated Press  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that the state cannot enforce a ban on public schools mandating the use of masks to guard against the coronavirus, while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal. Ron DeSantis and state education officials exceeded their authority by imposing the blanket ban through executive order and tagging …

Broward and Alachua counties stick with mask mandates despite financial penalties
3 years, 3 months ago

Broward and Alachua counties stick with mask mandates despite financial penalties

CNN  

CNN — Broward and Alachua counties in Florida are moving forward with mask mandates for their public school systems despite financial penalties from the state of Florida for not allowing parents to opt out of the requirement, in defiance of an order by Gov. We believe this is a necessary step to ensure that Florida’s districts have the right to …

Florida Judge Throws Out Gov. Ron DeSantis' Order Prohibiting School Mask Mandates
3 years, 3 months ago

Florida Judge Throws Out Gov. Ron DeSantis' Order Prohibiting School Mask Mandates

NPR  

Florida Judge Throws Out Gov. Ron DeSantis' Order Prohibiting School Mask Mandates Enlarge this image toggle caption Marta Lavandier/AP Marta Lavandier/AP A Florida judge has ruled that school districts in the state can require students to wear masks. Judge John Cooper ruled on a lawsuit brought by parents who say DeSantis overstepped his authority when his administration said school districts …

Judge rules against Florida Gov. DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates in schools
3 years, 3 months ago

Judge rules against Florida Gov. DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates in schools

CNN  

Miami CNN — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates in schools will not remain in place, Leon County’s 2nd Judicial Circuit Court Judge John Cooper ruled Friday. This ruling was made with incoherent justifications, not based in science and facts – frankly not even remotely focused on the merits of the case presented.” The ruling comes after a …

State education board clears way for school mask mandate
3 years, 3 months ago

State education board clears way for school mask mandate

Associated Press  

— The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education overwhelmingly approved a measure Tuesday that gives state Education Commissioner Jeff Riley the authority to issue a universal mask mandate for K-12 public schools. And after the challenges of last year, it will be incredibly important for this year to get off on a strong start.” He also said it is …

Florida school mask mandate power struggle goes before judge
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida school mask mandate power struggle goes before judge

Associated Press  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida’s power struggle over wearing masks in school to guard against coronavirus infections landed Monday before a judge considering a lawsuit that challenges Gov. “It is certainly an emergency.” The Florida Constitution and state law give school boards the authority to decide health and safety matters affecting their students, Dodson said. Citing state statistics from 2020, …

Two Florida counties double down on school mask mandates
3 years, 4 months ago

Two Florida counties double down on school mask mandates

CNN  

CNN — Florida’s Broward and Alachua counties are not backing down on mask mandates in schools, despite Gov. More than 14,000 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in Florida’s 15 largest school districts since the start of the school year – 11,851 students and 2,610 school employees, according to a CNN analysis. More than 360 students and over 16 faculty and …

Why I voted to defy Ron DeSantis on masks for schools (Opinion)
3 years, 4 months ago

Why I voted to defy Ron DeSantis on masks for schools (Opinion)

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Lucia Baez-Geller was elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board in November 2020 after a 15-year career in teaching at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. CNN — Last Wednesday, the public school board of Miami-Dade County, Florida’s largest school district, in which I serve, voted seven to one in favor of a mask mandate without parental opt-outs, unless there …

Schools Blocking Mask Mandates Could Face Civil Rights Probes, Official Says
3 years, 4 months ago

Schools Blocking Mask Mandates Could Face Civil Rights Probes, Official Says

NPR  

Schools Blocking Mask Mandates Could Face Civil Rights Probes, Official Says Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Department of Education is preparing its Office of Civil Rights to investigate schools that have blocked school mask mandates and other efforts to try to keep students and educators safe from COVID-19. Republican-led states like …

GOP governors, school districts battle over mask mandates
3 years, 4 months ago

GOP governors, school districts battle over mask mandates

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Millions of students in Florida, Texas and Arizona are now required to wear masks in class as school boards in mostly Democratic areas have defied their Republican governors and made face coverings mandatory. “We’re going to continue our mask mandate to keep students safe, to keep parents safe, to keep families safe and most importantly our …

Florida Board of Education orders Broward, Alachua counties to allow mask opt-out in 48 hours or start losing funding
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida Board of Education orders Broward, Alachua counties to allow mask opt-out in 48 hours or start losing funding

CNN  

CNN — The Florida State Board of Education has sent an order to Broward and Alachua counties’ school board officials stating that they have 48 hours to comply with the state’s wishes to allow an opt-out option for masks or the state will begin withholding funds, according to copies of the orders shown to CNN. The State Board of Education …

Ron DeSantis leans into mask-mandate fights as Covid cases soar in Florida
3 years, 4 months ago

Ron DeSantis leans into mask-mandate fights as Covid cases soar in Florida

CNN  

CNN — As the number of new coronavirus cases in his state soars, Florida Gov. DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw argued that rather than the governor being keen to pick fights in areas where he might have already lacked political support, DeSantis is simply carrying out the law he signed in late June, which effectively banned schools from implementing mask mandates …

Florida Covid-19: Miami-Dade County votes in favor of mask mandate, defies governor
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida Covid-19: Miami-Dade County votes in favor of mask mandate, defies governor

CNN  

Miami CNN — Miami-Dade County, Florida’s largest school district, voted 7-1 in favor of a mask mandate Wednesday, in defiance of Gov. “For the consequences associated with doing the right thing, whatever that right thing is, I will wear proudly as a badge of honor,” Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said at the State Board of Education meeting …

In Florida, Texas And Arizona, Defiant School Leaders Are Sticking With Mask Mandates
3 years, 4 months ago

In Florida, Texas And Arizona, Defiant School Leaders Are Sticking With Mask Mandates

NPR  

In Florida, Texas And Arizona, Defiant School Leaders Are Sticking With Mask Mandates Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris O'Meara/AP Chris O'Meara/AP Across the country, as students and teachers head back into school buildings in the midst of a COVID-19 surge, school superintendents in Florida, Texas and Arizona are standing firm against state leaders who say masks shouldn't be mandated …

Despite Texas high court ruling, some mask mandates remain
3 years, 4 months ago

Despite Texas high court ruling, some mask mandates remain

Associated Press  

HOUSTON — Some Texas cities, counties and school districts remained defiant Monday and kept in place mandates requiring students and others to wear facial coverings despite rulings a day earlier by the Texas Supreme Court halting mask mandates in two of the state’s largest counties. The Austin school district and Harris County, where Houston is located and which is the …

Florida state school board takes steps against two districts over mask mandates
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida state school board takes steps against two districts over mask mandates

CNN  

CNN — Florida’s State Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday at an emergency meeting to recommend investigations into two school districts whose mask mandates defy Gov. Ron DeSantis Joe Raedle/Getty Images The board authorized the state education commissioner “to take all legal steps” against Alachua and Broward counties for requiring people in their school districts to wear masks. Florida Education …

In Florida and Texas, mask orders turn schools into battlegrounds
3 years, 4 months ago

In Florida and Texas, mask orders turn schools into battlegrounds

LA Times  

Kindergarten student Taiden Watkins reads a book Tuesday, the first day of school at Washington Elementary in Riviera Beach, Fla. Carlee Simon, the superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools in Florida, looked forward to welcoming students to the new school year — one in which they would not be required to wear masks and could, at last, see one another’s …

Biden praises Arizona, Florida school chiefs on mask-wearing
3 years, 4 months ago

Biden praises Arizona, Florida school chiefs on mask-wearing

Associated Press  

PHOENIX — President Joe Biden has commended the leadership of two Arizona and Florida school district superintendents after the districts’ boards recently implemented mask requirements in defiance of their Republican governors. Biden spoke separately by phone Friday with Superintendent Chad Gestson of the Phoenix Union High School District and interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright of Broward County Public School, the White …

3 Florida Educators Die Of COVID-19 Within 24 Hours As Schools Prepare To Reopen
3 years, 4 months ago

3 Florida Educators Die Of COVID-19 Within 24 Hours As Schools Prepare To Reopen

NPR  

3 Florida Educators Die Of COVID-19 Within 24 Hours As Schools Prepare To Reopen Enlarge this image toggle caption Johnny Louis/Getty Images Johnny Louis/Getty Images Less than a week before schools are set to reopen in Florida's Broward County, local union officials say three educators have died of complications from the coronavirus. Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco said the …

Biden admin backs Texas, Florida districts on mask mandates
3 years, 4 months ago

Biden admin backs Texas, Florida districts on mask mandates

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday offered its full-throated support for local cities and school boards in Texas and Florida that are defying orders by their Republican governors that prohibit mask-wearing mandates in schools. Cardona also noted that federal COVID-19 relief funds for schools could be used to fill any financial gaps caused by penalties imposed on local …

Schools fight back against GOP governors, defy bans on masks
3 years, 4 months ago

Schools fight back against GOP governors, defy bans on masks

Associated Press  

SALT LAKE CITY — With the highly contagious delta variant fueling a surge in coronavirus cases just as students return to classrooms, major school districts in Arizona, Florida, Texas and beyond are increasingly defying Republican leaders who banned school mask mandates in several states. “At no point shall I allow my decision to be influenced by a threat to my …

Florida school administrators risk their salaries to defy DeSantis on masks
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida school administrators risk their salaries to defy DeSantis on masks

CNN  

Gainesville, Florida CNN — Tina Certain took a pay cut when she quit being an accountant to become a member of the Alachua County School Board. “The number of employees testing positive for Covid has jumped in the past two weeks, even before most of them are back from summer break.” The board’s act of defiance came as Alachua County …

Bill Burr blasts Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over anti-mask mandate stance
3 years, 4 months ago

Bill Burr blasts Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over anti-mask mandate stance

The Independent  

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Bill Burr has criticised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his stance …

Florida Still Sees Record COVID-19 Surge As School Year Begins, But DeSantis Digs In
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida Still Sees Record COVID-19 Surge As School Year Begins, But DeSantis Digs In

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Florida continues to be the COVID-19 epicenter of the highly transmissible delta variant, with record new cases and rising hospitalizations as some schools start their new year ― but the deadly dilemma does not seem to faze the state’s Republican governor. Families of students in schools across Florida filed a lawsuit against DeSantis on Friday, arguing that …

Florida capital schools go against DeSantis, require masks
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida capital schools go against DeSantis, require masks

Associated Press  

MIAMI — The superintendent of the school district in Florida’s capital said Monday that he will require students to wear masks amid an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations fueled by the delta variant, defying the governor’s attempts to block schools from imposing such a mandate. I can’t.” Ordered by DeSantis, the Florida Department of Health issued an emergency rule last week …

Parents of Florida students with disabilities are taking a stand over masks. They’re suing Gov. DeSantis
3 years, 4 months ago

Parents of Florida students with disabilities are taking a stand over masks. They’re suing Gov. DeSantis

CNN  

CNN — Will Hayes was supposed to start the new school year Tuesday, but instead he’s staying home because of Florida Gov. The order came “in response to several Florida school boards considering or implementing mask mandates,” the governor’s office said, and is meant to “protect parents’ freedom to choose whether their children wear masks.” “If we don’t have enough …

Florida governor threatens to withhold salaries of school leaders who impose mask mandates
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida governor threatens to withhold salaries of school leaders who impose mask mandates

LA Times  

The superintendent of the school district in Florida’s capital said Monday that he will require students to wear masks amid an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations fueled by the Delta variant, defying the governor’s attempts to block schools from imposing such a mandate. I can’t.” Ordered by DeSantis, the Florida Department of Health issued an emergency rule last week saying districts …

Florida's Governor Says School Leaders' Salary May Be Withheld If They Require Masks
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida's Governor Says School Leaders' Salary May Be Withheld If They Require Masks

NPR  

Florida's Governor Says School Leaders' Salary May Be Withheld If They Require Masks Enlarge this image toggle caption Rick Bowmer/AP Rick Bowmer/AP As the majority of Florida's K-12 schools prepare to reopen campuses at full capacity this week — many of them on Tuesday — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state Board of Education could withhold pay from school …

Some Florida School Districts Will Require Masks. The Governor May Cut Their Funding
3 years, 4 months ago

Some Florida School Districts Will Require Masks. The Governor May Cut Their Funding

NPR  

Some Florida School Districts Will Require Masks. On Friday, Florida's Board of Education further complicated matters for public schools by announcing they would provide private school vouchers for parents who see mask-wearing requirements as "harrassment" of their children. Disagreement over whether kids needs masks DeSantis cited a study, conducted in part by Brown University researcher Emily Oster, that did not …

Bans on mask mandates by GOP governors are being successfully challenged in court
3 years, 4 months ago

Bans on mask mandates by GOP governors are being successfully challenged in court

Salon  

An Arkansas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its recently-passed ban on school mask mandates, defying the state's governor and GOP-led legislature – both of whom have fought tirelessly against COVID health precautions. Ron DeSantis had vehemently fought mask mandates in the state's public school system, issuing an executive order last Friday to ban them. Adducing Florida's …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order on masks in schools faces first legal challenges over constitutionality
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order on masks in schools faces first legal challenges over constitutionality

CNN  

CNN — Two different lawsuits have been filed against Gov. They are the first legal challenges over the constitutionality of the governor’s order on masks, attorneys working on the two suits said. The order, issued late last month, directed the state’s health and education departments to issue rules preventing the implementation of school mask mandates in an effort to “protect …

Some Florida school districts defy DeSantis, require masks
3 years, 4 months ago

Some Florida school districts defy DeSantis, require masks

Associated Press  

MIAMI — Despite a ban by Gov. Ron DeSantis, two Florida school districts have decided to require masks when children return to classrooms because of dramatic rises in coronavirus infections, with the state leading the country in hospitalizations. The Duval County School Board voted late Tuesday to require students to wear masks unless parents submit paperwork to opt out. Instead, …

Florida tween takes on school board to call for mask mandate
3 years, 4 months ago

Florida tween takes on school board to call for mask mandate

CNN  

Jacksonville, Florida CNN — Lila Hartley is heading into seventh grade next week. According to the governor’s office, the move was meant to “protect parents’ freedom to choose whether their children wear masks.” DeSantis’ move came two days after the Broward County School Board unanimously voted to require masks in the upcoming school year. “But also, I care about your …

DeSantis won’t move on masks as Florida COVID wards swell
3 years, 4 months ago

DeSantis won’t move on masks as Florida COVID wards swell

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday downplayed a spike in COVID-19 cases that’s shattered state hospitalization records and strongly reiterated his vow not to impose a mask mandate or any business restrictions. With the much more contagious delta variant now spreading exponentially, Florida hit 11,515 hospitalized patients Tuesday, breaking last year’s record for the third straight …

Schools ditch student mask requirements in growing numbers
3 years, 7 months ago

Schools ditch student mask requirements in growing numbers

Associated Press  

As a lengthy, bitter fight over mask requirements for students neared its conclusion, the chairperson of a Florida school board announced that she would agree to lift a mandate that had been in place since September even though she preferred leaving it in place until the end of the academic year. “This is Santa Rosa County, America, not China!” Moments …

School board ends meeting as parents protest mask mandate
3 years, 7 months ago

School board ends meeting as parents protest mask mandate

Associated Press  

VAIL, Ariz. — A Tucson-area school board ended a study session and then canceled a scheduled regular meeting after dozens of parents protested the district’s refusal to lift its mask mandate aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. Doug Ducey on Aug. 19 lifted a statewide mask mandate for schools, the Vail Unified School District was among many in Arizona …

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