In a sea of liberal COVID hysterics, it’s quite refreshing to witness a leader stand up for what’s right: personal freedom.

Ron DeSantis has always done just that. The Florida Republican has routinely pushed personal freedom in regards to masking, vaccination, and other COVID mitigation efforts. He understands that the decision to seek medical treatment or follow medical advice is a personal one, and should be handled in the private realm — not handed down from government orders.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning school superintendents and board members who defy his executive order prohibiting mask mandates that they could face loss of wages, according to local reports.

Here is the statement today from Ron Desantis to FL school boards, threatening with withhold salaries of school superintendents and school board members who defy him on mask mandates. pic.twitter.com/uJ3uyvNDsB

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 9, 2021

The statement appears to be a response to news last week that DeSantis had threatened funding to districts that did not follow his order, causing two districts to reverse their mask mandates. Monday’s statement seemed to clarify that only salaries for superintendents and board members would be withheld, and not funding for education or teachers’ or staff salaries.

The news comes days after a group of parents in Florida asked a judge to block DeSantis’ executive order that bans school districts from imposing mask requirements when classes resume in the fall.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in state court, comes amid a national debate about whether children in schools should wear masks as the delta variant of the coronavirus sweeps the country and case counts rise. The lawsuit argues that DeSantis’ order violates a provision of the state constitution that requires public officials to ensure schools are safe for students.

School leaders across the country are facing complex pressures as millions of students prepare to return to classes. The delta variant is highly contagious, though it still appears that children typically fare better with the virus than their elders do. But they may bring deadly infections home.

Early this summer, the CDC said that only unvaccinated children need masks at school. In the face of delta, however, the CDC changed its guidance on July 27, advising that everyone should wear masks in schools.

At least seven states, including Arizona, Arkansas and Texas, have banned local school districts from requiring pupils to wear masks. Other states, such as California and Washington, have required them in public schools but with some flexibility for school districts.

DeSantis issued his executive order banning mask requirements on July 30, calling the CDC’s rules “unscientific and inconsistent.” DeSantis’ office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Author: Sebastian Hayworth