Coronavirus
DeSantis backs $200 million penalties for school districts that imposed mask mandates
The Florida governor backed a bill that would eliminate education funding for counties that have kept COVID-19 mandates
February 21, 2022 9:58am
Updated: February 22, 2022 6:29pm
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis showed his support last week for a controversial proposal to take away $200 million in education funding from counties that defied his executive order last year banning mandatory facemasks in schools, reported The Guardian.
The plan is part of a budget bill passed last Wednesday in the Republican-dominated Florida House of Representatives and would seek to reduce money going to school districts in Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Indian River, Leon, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Sarasota, and Volusia counties.
DeSantis mostró su respaldo al plan a través de un comunicado compartido en su cuenta de Twitter que dice: “Gracias al presidente (Chris) Sprowls, al representante (Randy) Fine y a la Cámara de Representantes por atender mi llamado para proteger a los estudiantes y maestros de las medidas de rendición de cuentas que afectan a los políticos y burócratas controlados por los sindicatos que desafiaron la ley de Florida al enmascarar obligatoriamente a los niños”.
DeSantis showed his support for the plan through a statement shared on his Twitter account. "Thanks to Speaker Sprowls, Representative Fine and the House of Representatives for heeding my call to protect students and teachers from accountability measures affecting union-controlled politicians and bureaucrats who defied Florida law by force masking kids," he wrote.
He added that parents would also be compensated for the damages imposed on their children. "They should get compensated for the academic, social, and emotional problems caused by these policies."
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 15, 2022
His latest statement represents a shift in the governor's stance, which initially did not support funding reductions to districts that challenged his effort to ban mandatory facemask policies.
After showing his support, he was criticized by teachers' unions, school districts, and education advocates who claim the sanctions will remove more resources from classrooms in a state that ranks in the bottom four in per-pupil spending nationally.
