Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters (R-FL-23) has filed legislation requiring Florida school board meetings to be publicly broadcast and recorded on video, along with the ability of parents to make their voices heard and criticize school board members.
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The Florida state Ethics Commission ruled that the Federal Government’s effort to supplant lost income to the Broward County School Board would not violate state ethics law. However, the decision was split causing much debate. Commission member Don Gaetz, who also previously served as Florida Senate President, wanted to table the question.
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Florida Department of Administrative Hearings Judge Brian Newman cleared a path, refusing to dismiss a challenge by six Florida school districts, challenging the Florida Department of Health’s rule against mask mandates.
The counties included in the challenge are: Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Duval, Alachua, and Leon Counties.
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The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is proposing a new long-term rule to ban mask mandates and enshrine its new quarantine rules for students in Florida’s public school system. Florida’s new surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, signed off on the first phase of the new rules last month which said students would no longer have to quarantine if they are exposed and asymptomatic.
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Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is “lying” about mask mandates in Florida’s schools and claims masks have been effective in stopping the spread of COVID.
“Ron DeSantis is lying to you about masks in schools … In every single case, kids were better off in school districts that required masks than school districts that did not,” Fried said.
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After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won a temporary ruling last month, the parents suing the State of Florida over its mask mandate ban filed a notice in 11th Circuit Court of Appeal to overturn the previous decision.
The attorneys said DeSantis’ executive order banning mask mandates violates the Americans with Disabilities Act which is designed to protect students with disabilities who are more susceptible to illness or death, specifically to COVID.
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School board members in Alachua County, who saw their salaries cut due to mandating masks in their schools against Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 21-175, were repaid Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE).
Funding for the payment comes from a new program established by the Biden Administration known as the Project to Support America’s Families and Educators grant program, or “Project SAFE.”
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