Legal Experts Question DeSantis Ban on Florida School Face Mask Warrants

MIAMI – The face mask is forcing controversy to return to Florida just as the Delta variant features a further increase in hospitalizations and deaths.

The Florida Constitution clearly gives county school districts and boards the power to operate, control, and supervise public schools in the area. This authority was particularly effective on public health matters at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Lawyer Ronald “Ron” Meyer, of Tallahassee, is among South Florida legal experts who said Gov. Ron DeSantis decided to ignore it on Friday when he signed the Guaranteeing Freedom of Persons executive order. parents to choose masks in schools.

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“In my opinion, the governor has once again exceeded his authority,” said Meyer.

DeSantis, a Republican who shares many of the views of former President Donald Trump, has opposed warrants on the use of face masks and COVID vaccines, saying it is an attack on the freedom to choose civilians. The problem is, public health experts believe the spread of the deadly virus primarily depends on human behavior, and studies show that face masks work best when more people use them.

Florida governors have the power to make emergency orders. Critics said DeSantis, 42, has used that power throughout the pandemic to protect freedoms, not public health, as he prioritizes his political ideology in a bid to win re-election next year. and a GOP presidential nomination in 2024.

“You shouldn’t ask parents who have a legitimate health problem for their children to send their children to school even with a mask on if most of the children in their class are unmasked,” Meyer said.

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Coronavirus outbreaks have been larger in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. District health experts have heeded the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation to require face masks to be worn on those who are and are not vaccinated. Before DeSantis signed the order, the Broward County School Board voted in favor of a face mask mandate.

“The school board has an obligation to protect the safety and health of their children,” Fort Lauderdale lawyer David Weinstein said of the district’s increased liability with the ban.