Florida governor DeSantis says salaries of officials who require masks for students may be withheld

Florida school superintendents who require masks for students without giving them a way to opt out could have their salaries withheld, Gov. Ron DeSantis' office said Monday.

DeSantis last week barred local school districts from requiring students to wear masks amid a rise in cases, but at least one Florida school district said they will be mandatory when classes begin Wednesday.

School is resuming in Florida in a surge of Covid-19 cases fueled by the more transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus. ...

DeSantis, a Republican who has resisted Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates, issued an executive order Friday barring school districts from requiring students to wear masks. His office said Monday that districts with mask rules that allow parents to opt out for any reason would not violate the rules. ...

ALSO SEE: Opinion:  Why our school district is defying Florida’s ban on mask mandates — even if it means we lose funding