State Board of Education finds two school districts in noncompliance for mask mandates

Florida education leaders have determined two school districts have violated state law by enforcing mask mandates without opt-outs.

The State Board of Education voted to investigate and possibly punish the Alachua and Broward county school districts in an emergency meeting Tuesday.

“Neither followed the directives of the Department of Health’s rule which requires districts to allow parents to opt-out for their child. Therefore, what we are doing is finding probable cause,” State Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said.

“These districts may be while well-intentioned, [but] have not followed protocols laid out by surgeon general’s emergency rule, Corcoran continued.”

The superintendents from both Broward County and Alachua County spoke during the emergency meeting and both argued their districts were in compliance and did not violate the rules, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

Alachua County Schools have temporarily mandated masks -- with only one exception -- a student must present a doctor’s note saying they cannot wear one.

Corcoran argued that parents have the right to opt their children out of wearing masks.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried disagrees. She held a briefing ahead of the emergency meeting, saying school districts should be able to mandate masks.

“It is the height of hypocrisy for so-called conservatives Ron DeSantis and Richard Corcoran to tell local school districts that they will be punished for making decisions that they think are in the best interest of their communities,” Fried said.

During the Board of Education’s emergency meeting, Floridians dialed in, both for and against the Board of Education’s decision.

“They think that a kid with COVID-19 who doesn’t want to wear a mask has more rights than the kids who want to be in the safest environment,” one caller said.

The US Department of Education wants to help Florida school districts that want to mandate masks. The Secretary of Education said even if Florida holds funds, districts can use money from the CARES Act.

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