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 must allow parents to decide whether their children will wear masks. “But we believe in and support local rule.” On Friday, Florida’s Board of Education approved an emergency rule granting private school vouchers for children who feel they are being harassed by a district’s COVID-19 safety policies, including mask requirements. “Parents, just send a note, a one-liner, saying, ‘I’ve decided to opt out.’ It’s as simple as that,” said Barbara Jenkins, superintendent for Orange County Public Schools.

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History of this topic

Florida judge voids U.S. mask mandate for planes, other travel
2 years, 8 months ago

Florida judge voids U.S. mask mandate for planes, other travel

LA Times  

A federal judge in Florida on Monday voided the national mask mandate covering airlines and other public transportation as exceeding the authority of U.S. health officials in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The White House said the court ruling means that for now the mask order “is not in effect at this time.” The ruling appeared to free operators …

Georgia push on COVID rules aims at vaccines, school masks
2 years, 8 months ago

Georgia push on COVID rules aims at vaccines, school masks

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Georgia public school students are now free of mask mandates for five years, while a one-year ban on letting governments and schools require vaccines against COVID-19 neared Gov. The Republican Kemp on Tuesday signed Senate Bill 514, which would let parents opt their children out of school mask mandates for the next five years. “The Unmask Georgia Students …

Chicago Public Schools drop mask requirement in classrooms
2 years, 9 months ago

Chicago Public Schools drop mask requirement in classrooms

Associated Press  

CHICAGO — Chicago Public Schools will stop requiring face masks for staff and students in the nation’s third-largest school district starting March 14, officials announced Monday. “CPS was one of the first to require universal masking in schools, and we would not be moving to a mask-optional model unless the data and our public health experts indicated that it is …

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 Gov. DeSantis berates teenagers for wearing masks
2 years, 9 months ago

Florida Gov. DeSantis berates teenagers for wearing masks

LA Times  

A visibly annoyed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admonished a group of high school students for wearing face masks at an indoor news conference this week, 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 event Wednesday …

Masks optional in many New York schools after mandate ends
2 years, 9 months ago

Masks optional in many New York schools after mandate ends

Associated Press  

BUFFALO, N.Y. — School districts across New York state, including many of the largest, made mask wearing optional for students and staff beginning Wednesday as a statewide mandate came to an end. “I thought it was good because I could finally breathe better.” In New York City, which has the nation’s largest school district, an indoor mask mandate is expected …

Lamont: About 85% of Connecticut schools dropping mask rule
2 years, 9 months ago

Lamont: About 85% of Connecticut schools dropping mask rule

Associated Press  

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and the head of state’s association of school superintendents say about 85% to 90% of school districts across the state have elected to drop mandatory face mask wearing as of Monday, the day when local officials were allowed to decide whether to extend the state’s mask mandate. “I do have a mom …

L.A. County will align with state to end school mask mandate after March 11
2 years, 9 months ago

L.A. County will align with state to end school mask mandate after March 11

LA Times  

New L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho talks with masked students after teaching part of a biology class during a February visit to Fremont High School in South L.A. Los Angeles County health officials on Monday said they will align with the state’s move to end indoor school masking requirements after March 11, giving officials in the county’s 80 schools districts …

Mask mandates are being ditched by more states and schools. But a decision on public transportation is still up in the air
2 years, 9 months ago

Mask mandates are being ditched by more states and schools. But a decision on public transportation is still up in the air

CNN  

CNN — Even some of the most ardent supporters of Covid-19 precautions are ditching mask mandates as health officials release new guidelines and hospitalizations plummet. Dr. Mark Ghaly, state Health and Human Services Agency secretary, said he’s “pleased with how the data has come down.” Los Angeles County is aligning itself with California’s new masking guidance by no longer requiring …

Governor Kathy Hochul says New York indoor school mask mandate to be lifted this week
2 years, 9 months ago

Governor Kathy Hochul says New York indoor school mask mandate to be lifted this week

CNN  

CNN — New York will no longer require students to wear masks in schools beginning on Wednesday, Gov. Counties and cities that have a higher rate of Covid-19 transmission have the “flexibility” to keep the mask requirement in schools, Hochul said, and parents and guardians may still send their children to school in masks. “If we see no unforeseen spikes …

Mandatory mask rules to be eased in Victoria ahead of weekend
2 years, 10 months ago

Mandatory mask rules to be eased in Victoria ahead of weekend

ABC  

The Victorian government has announced people will be able to remove their masks in most indoor settings this weekend. Key points: Masks will only be required in some settings including public transport, hospitals and primary schools from midnight Friday The recommendation for people to work or study from home is being removed The health minister has extended the deadline for …

Glenn Youngkin, Virginia governor, signs bill allowing parents to opt out of school mask mandates
2 years, 10 months ago

Glenn Youngkin, Virginia governor, signs bill allowing parents to opt out of school mask mandates

CNN  

CNN — Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill Wednesday that allows parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates. Youngkin had campaigned on rolling back Virginia’s Covid-19 restrictions and giving parents more agency in their children’s education, but the order he signed on his first day in office was met with lawsuits from Virginia school districts …

LAUSD to keep outdoor mask mandate in place this week, but changes may be ahead
2 years, 10 months ago

LAUSD to keep outdoor mask mandate in place this week, but changes may be ahead

LA Times  

Los Angeles Unified Supt. The Los Angeles Unified School District will keep its outdoor mask mandate in place for the rest of the week, despite county health guidance that allowed K-12 school systems to lift the requirement on Wednesday, said new Supt. Carvalho announced the district’s position in an update posted on Twitter Tuesday night, saying that the district “will …

California delays decision on lifting school mask mandate
2 years, 10 months ago

California delays decision on lifting school mask mandate

Associated Press  

Gavin Newsom delayed a closely watched decision on lifting California’s school mask mandate Monday, even as other Democratic governors around the country have dropped them in recent weeks. But the teachers’ stance was made clear minutes after Ghaly finished speaking, when the powerful California Teachers Association issued a statement praising the “cautious approach to masking.” “We know that masking, strong …

California to keep mask mandate in schools as indoor mandate ends
2 years, 10 months ago

California to keep mask mandate in schools as indoor mandate ends

CNN  

CNN — Just one day before California is set to relax a statewide mask mandate for vaccinated people in indoor public spaces, the state’s top health official announced that masks will still be required in schools. There will be no change to the school requirement, Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced at a press conference Monday. …

Maryland governor calls to end school mask requirement
2 years, 10 months ago

Maryland governor calls to end school mask requirement

Associated Press  

Larry Hogan called on the State Board of Education on Thursday to stop requiring face coverings in schools. “A growing number of medical professionals, parents, and bipartisan state officials throughout the nation are calling for an end to school mask requirements,” the Republican governor wrote in a letter to Clarence Crawford, the board’s president. “If these trends are not reversed …

As states drop school mask mandates, health experts clash on whether it's too soon
2 years, 10 months ago

As states drop school mask mandates, health experts clash on whether it's too soon

Salon  

As U.S. omicron case numbers drop from their January peak, some states with in-person instruction have started to drop their mask mandates for schools. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases and associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, Davis, agreed that it's too early for schools to lift their mask mandates. Blumberg noted that …

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 …

US state mask mandates to expire, creating tensions for schools
2 years, 10 months ago

US state mask mandates to expire, creating tensions for schools

Al Jazeera  

School board meeting have devolved into shouting matches and arrests over whether masks should be worn. “We can’t allow those individual passions to decide the debate.” The issue of masks in schools has been so contentious in much of the country that school board meetings have devolved into shouting matches and arrests, superintendents have seen protesters outside their homes, and …

California will lift mask mandate as omicron cases fall
2 years, 10 months ago

California will lift mask mandate as omicron cases fall

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will end its indoor masking requirement for vaccinated people next week but masks still are the rule for schoolchildren, state health officials announced Monday amid rapidly falling coronavirus cases. Local governments can continue their own indoor masking requirements and last week Los Angeles County’s health officials said they intend to keep theirs in place beyond the …

Governors in 4 states plan for end to school mask mandates
2 years, 10 months ago

Governors in 4 states plan for end to school mask mandates

Associated Press  

TRENTON, N.J. — The governors of four states announced plans Monday to lift statewide mask requirements in schools by the end of February or March, citing the rapid easing of COVID-19′s omicron surge. Phil Murphy called the move “a huge step back to normalcy for our kids” and said individual school districts will be free to continue requiring masks after …

Analysis: Democratic governors outpace White House with masking pullbacks
2 years, 10 months ago

Analysis: Democratic governors outpace White House with masking pullbacks

CNN  

CNN — A rush of moves by Democratic states laying out timelines to lift mask mandates is leaving a cautious White House behind and hiking pressure on top government health officials to codify an Omicron endgame. On Monday alone, three Democratic governors – in New Jersey, Delaware and Connecticut – and the public health department in Oregon set timelines to …

California Will Lift Mask Mandate As Omicron Cases Fall
2 years, 10 months ago

California Will Lift Mask Mandate As Omicron Cases Fall

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will end its indoor masking requirement for vaccinated people next week but masks still are the rule for schoolchildren, state health officials announced Monday amid rapidly falling coronavirus cases. Local governments can continue their own indoor masking requirements and last week Los Angeles County’s health officials said they intend to keep theirs in …

New Jersey school mask mandates are set to end in 2nd week of March
2 years, 10 months ago

New Jersey school mask mandates are set to end in 2nd week of March

NPR  

New Jersey school mask mandates are set to end in 2nd week of March New Jersey's governor is calling for a return to "normal" as the state's COVID cases start to fall. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: New Jersey will no longer require students and school employees to wear masks, starting the second week of March. And just to give you a …

Judge rules against VA governor's opt-out school mask order
2 years, 10 months ago

Judge rules against VA governor's opt-out school mask order

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. Arlington Circuit Court Judge Louise DiMatteo ruled in favor …

Debate rages over whether kids should wear masks at school
2 years, 10 months ago

Debate rages over whether kids should wear masks at school

NPR  

Debate rages over whether kids should wear masks at school Should we put KN95 masks on children or take all masks off? What's different about this moment is that there's a third camp emerging of parents, doctors and advocates who are pro-vaccine and anti-mask mandates for children, and they're getting louder. KAMENETZ: About two-thirds of large school districts, plus many …

Judge temporarily restores New York’s mask mandate
2 years, 10 months ago

Judge temporarily restores New York’s mask mandate

Associated Press  

An appeals judge restored New York’s mask mandate Tuesday, a day after a judge in a lower court ruled that Gov. The stay came after a day of confusion, in which some New York school districts — particularly in areas that lean Republican — rushed to make masks optional for students and teachers, and state education officials told administrators they …

New York judge strikes down state COVID mask mandate
2 years, 10 months ago

New York judge strikes down state COVID mask mandate

Al Jazeera  

The mandate had been issued by governor after Kathy Hochul declared state of emergency amid Omicron spread. A New York state judge has struck down a mandate that required the wearing of masks in public places as a COVID-19 precaution, ruling the governor overstepped her authority in imposing the restriction. In the ruling on Monday, Judge Thomas Rademaker of New …

Appeals court reinstates Texas mask mandate ban in schools
3 years ago

Appeals court reinstates Texas mask mandate ban in schools

Associated Press  

HOUSTON — An appeals court on Wednesday halted a federal judge’s order that had stopped Texas from enforcing its ban on mask mandates in the state’s schools, allowing the prohibition to remain in effect. In granting the stay, the appeals court said that Paxton would likely win in his appeal, the students represented by Disability Rights Texas likely do not …

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 …

Federal judge strikes down Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in schools
3 years, 1 month ago

Federal judge strikes down Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in schools

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A …

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 …

South Carolina officials want out of mask mandate ban suit
3 years, 3 months ago

South Carolina officials want out of mask mandate ban suit

Associated Press  

South Carolina officials who have been sued over a law banning school districts from issuing face mask mandates say that they should be removed from pending litigation. In papers filed last week, attorneys for McMaster — a Republican who has said repeatedly that parents alone should decide if children wear masks in schools — argued that the ACLU and its …

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  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A …

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 …

Florida school mask debate headed for appeals court battle
3 years, 3 months ago

Florida school mask debate headed for appeals court battle

Associated Press  

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The battle over mask requirements to guard against coronavirus in Florida schools headed for a new legal phase Friday following an appeal by Republican Gov. Jacob Oliva, public schools chancellor at the state Department of Education, said in a notice Thursday to local superintendents that “enforcement must cease if the stay is lifted.” Under the DeSantis …

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 …

Officials withhold school board salaries over mask mandates
3 years, 3 months ago

Officials withhold school board salaries over mask mandates

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida state education officials on Monday began to make good on threats to withhold funding from local school districts that defied Gov. Broward County Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright said in a statement that Broward County School Board believes they are in compliance with the law. Corcoran said those districts are violating parental rights by not allowing a …

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 …

State mask bans face federal civil rights inquiries
3 years, 3 months ago

State mask bans face federal civil rights inquiries

Associated Press  

The Education Department on Monday opened civil rights investigations into five Republican-led states that have banned or limited mask requirements in schools, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions. In its letters, the department said it’s concerned that the states “may be preventing schools from making individualized assessments about mask use so that …

Ron DeSantis-cited article to oppose mask-wearing for kids falls apart under scrutiny
3 years, 3 months ago

Ron DeSantis-cited article to oppose mask-wearing for kids falls apart under scrutiny

Raw Story  

As Florida has sunk ever-deeper into its third major wave of Covid-19, Republican Gov. You wouldn't know it from reading his article, but the study Zweig cites actually found that the schools it studied with mask mandates for students had 21 percent less spread of the virus than in schools where masking was optional. There's plenty of evidence that masks …

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 …

More protests follow mask orders in Oakland, Ottawa counties
3 years, 3 months ago

More protests follow mask orders in Oakland, Ottawa counties

Associated Press  

PONTIAC, Mich. — Protesters turned out Wednesday in a large suburban Detroit county, a day after officials said masks would be required in schools, the latest local mandate linked to rising COVID-19 cases. On the other side of Michigan, more than 100 parents and kids showed up Tuesday night in Ottawa County, equally upset with a recent mask order for …

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 …

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