Feds warn Florida to reconsider withholding money from school boards over mask mandates
President Joe Bidenโs administration on Monday warned top Florida education officials to โreconsider your threatened actionsโ after the state said it would try to thwart attempts to use federal money to cover salaries of county school-board members who approved student mask requirements.
Duval County Public Schools ends practice of shifting elementary classrooms online
Declining numbers of COVID-19 cases in Duval County Public Schools combined with new quarantine direction from the Florida Department of Health has led the district to modify practices for elementary classroom closures.
As DeSantis pressures school districts on COVID-19 policy, Biden administration replaces withheld state funds
In its latest emergency rule issued Wednesday, the Florida Department of Education renewed pressure on local school boards to refrain from mandating face masks without a parental option to opt-out, something at least 10 school districts have done anyway.
Expert says new Florida quarantine rules for schools risk exposing more students to virus
Floridaโs newly announced protocols that allow parents to decide whether their children should quarantine or stay in school if they are asymptomatic after being exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 could put many more students at risk of becoming infected, according to Dr. Sunil Joshi, an immunologist with Baptist Health.
Judge halts Floridaโs enforcement of ban on school face mask rules ... again
A circuit judge on Wednesday again ruled against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisโ mask policy for students, setting aside a stay and allowing school districts to enact mask mandates without interference from the Department of Education as the case moves forward on appeal.
Duval County Schools responds to Education Departmentโs mask mandate ultimatum
In a letter sent to Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the Duval County School Board said it chose to put in place a mask mandate for students with a medical opt out after 11 school district employees died and more than 1,600 cases were reported in schools over the first three weeks.
Alachua County vows to fight back after state withholds school board salaries over mask mandate
Alachua Schools Superintendent Dr. Carlee Simon said her board members โdeserve praise, not penaltiesโ for their โcourageous decisionโ to defy an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis and implement a districtwide mask mandate.
Florida education departmentโs COVID-19 plan should be more aggressive, doctors say
A one-page information graphic outlining the Florida Department of Educationโs recommendations on how school districts should combat COVID-19 was sent out to superintendents earlier this month, but it fails to include what medical experts conclude are the most effective mitigation strategies.
Parents voice concerns about masks in schools before Duval County School Board makes decision
Hours of fiery debate involving doctors, parents and local leaders dominated a special Duval County School Board meeting Monday before the board approved a 90-day student mask mandate with a medical opt-out.
2 more large Florida school districts defy state over mask mandate
Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties have become the third and fourth school districts in Florida to adopt stricter mask mandates, a day after school boards in Broward and Alachua counties faced threats of severe penalties for defying Gov. Ron DeSantisโ administration, which says parents should decide whether their children wear masks.
State Board of Education votes to investigate Alachua school district, superintendent for mask mandate
The state Board of Education on Tuesday voted in favor of a recommendation to โuse its enforcement powersโ against Alachua County Public Schools after the district defied a statewide order to allow students to opt out of wearing a face mask without a doctorโs note.
Duval, St. Johns teachers push for COVID leave as school year begins
Last year, if teachers had to miss work to get a coronavirus test or were forced to quarantine due to possible exposure, their salary was covered by funding from the federal governmentโs Families First Coronavirus Response Act. But since that expired, districts have been left to figure things out on their own.
Claiming mask mandates are harassment, Florida OKs private school vouchers
Floridaโs Board of Education approved an emergency rule on Friday that will make private school vouchers available to parents who say a public school districtโs mask-wearing requirements amount to harassment of their children.