DeSantis Reportedly Backs Plan To Take $200 Million From School Districts That Had Mask Mandates

Topline

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is putting his support behind a plan to redirect $200 million in state funding from school districts that enacted mask mandates earlier in the pandemic, according to the Orlando Sentinel, in what could be the latest instance of Florida punishing school districts over enforcing Covid restrictions if the proposal passes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) speaks to supporters and members of the media after a bill signing on … [+] November 18, 2021, in Brandon, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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Key Facts

The plan from Republican state Rep. Randy Fine would amend the budget proposed in the state House, shifting funding from the dozen primarily urban school districts that had mandates at some point in the pandemic toward the 55 districts that did not.

His proposal, called the “Putting Parents First Adjustment Deduct,” passed the Florida House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

Fine says the funding would not come out of teachers’ salaries or impact student programs, adding it would solely impact school administrators making $100,000 or more, who he calls “bureaucrats.”

Spokeswoman Christina Pushaw told the Orlando Sentinel Tuesday that DeSantis has spoken with Fine and is “on board” with the plan after expressing earlier skepticism.

Pushaw told the newspaper limiting impacts to administrators was critical to winning the governor’s support, since she said those are the ones who were “actually making the political decisions to force-mask children.”

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Crucial Quote

“It is intended to reward the 55 school districts, the overwhelming majority of which followed our state law and respected the rights of parents over the past year,” Fine said last week.

Key Background

DeSantis last summer signed an executive order making all school districts in the state “mask-optional” for the school year, but several school districts chose to ignore the order as the delta variant surge led to a record spike in Covid hospitalizations and deaths in Florida. The order prompted unsuccessful legal challenges, and eight counties ended up losing some state funding after Florida’s board of education voted to penalize them for violating DeSantis’ order. The legislature beefed up the ban in November by passing a bill saying only parents can decide whether children can wear masks in school, which DeSantis signed into law. The districts that still had mandates in place dropped them once the law went into effect.

What To Watch For

Fine’s proposal is not included in the state Senate’s budget, but it is included in the House version the appropriations committee approved last week. The House and Senate, which are Republican-dominated, have a March 11 deadline to reach a consensus on 2022-23 spending.

Tangent

Florida’s board of education passed a measure last year allowing public school students to move to private schools, with the state covering the cost of tuition, if they experienced “COVID-19 harassment” at public school. The state considers a student being asked to wear a mask a form of “COVID-19 harassment.”