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Cat Gloria/WLRN/The Florida Board of Education voted during a conference call on Thursday afternoon to sanction eight districts — including the three large public school systems in South Florida — for defying state rules that guarantee parents the choice of whether their children wear masks. As of now, the districts are allowing opt outs for only medical reasons. -
Nathalie Lynch-Walsh / Courtesy/Sun SentinelSeven years after approving an $800 million school renovation program, mold remains a major problem, inspection reports show, even in schools where work has been completed. Many others are still waiting for promised repairs, with only about two dozen of 200 major projects complete.
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It's not a final decision on the question on whether facial coverings can be required in school. Legal challenges are continuing in state and federal proceedings. -
The heads of some Florida universities are reminding students and faculty that campus leaders’ “hands are tied” when it comes to taking steps to try to curb the spread of COVID-19 and are trying to work around limitations as the academic year is underway. However, it appears unlikely that university presidents will get increased authority to move forward with stricter COVID-19 policies.
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A Leon County circuit judge began hearing arguments Monday in a high-profile lawsuit about whether Florida school districts should be able to set student mask requirements as COVID-19 continues to surge across the state. Attorneys for a group of parents began calling witnesses whose arguments were geared primarily toward proving the delta variant of the coronavirus is a more potent enemy than previous variants.
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The Department of Education is preparing its Office of Civil Rights to investigate in instances where bans on mask mandates create an unsafe environment for students.
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South Florida students who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 may not be able to attend school at all if their classmates aren't wearing masks, their parents argue.
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The U.S. Secretary of Education warns it is prepared to probe the state over its ban on mask mandates for public schools.
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Iman Alleyne has forged a community of teachers, parents, and students that want transparency in primary education. Florida banned public school teachers from teaching critical race theory in June.
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Broward County and Alachua County school board members who voted to impose a mask mandate could start losing their monthly pay as soon as next week unless they reverse their policy.
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A legal battle over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempts to prevent school mask mandates will go ahead next week after a circuit judge refused to dismiss the case Thursday. Attorneys for a group of parents are challenging a July 30 executive order by DeSantis that seeks to prohibit county school boards from requiring students to wear masks.
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The decision to mandate face masks happened two days after Palm Beach County declared a state of emergency amid a COVID-19 case surge.
