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The Florida Department of Education has made good on their threat.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ controversial ban on schools imposing face mask mandates has resulted in a standoff between the schools and the Board of Education for several weeks now. The Board has threatened to withhold funding and salaries from schools that impose mandates, while the schools, looking to protect their students and staff, have maintained mandates anyway. A Florida state judge recently ruled that the ban was unconstitutional, but government officials have not backed down. As of today, this standoff has reached a boiling point.

The Board has officially announced their intent to withhold funding equivalent to “the monthly school board member salaries” from Alachua and Broward counties for maintaining face mask mandates. “We’re going to fight to protect parent’s rights to make health care decisions for their children. They know what is best for their children,” Florida Education Comissioner Richard Corcoran said in a statement.

“What’s unacceptable is the politicians who have raised their right hands and pledged, under oath, to uphold the Constitution but are not doing so. Simply said, elected officials cannot pick and choose what laws they want to follow,” Corcoran added.

Several local superintendents expressed concern with the state’s choice to withhold funding. “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. They deserve praise, not penalties,” said Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Carlee Simon.

“The health and safety of our students, teachers and staff continue to be our main priorities. As such, BCPS will continue to mandate masks, knowing the data shows they help minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our schools,” Broward County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Vicky Cartwright said in a statement. “As previously stated, this decision will be reviewed by the School Board after Labor Day as conditions may change and modification may be appropriate.”