Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and his office have threatened the withholding of state funding from local school officials who impose mandates to wear face masks amid the continued spread of COVID-19, and his office has since clarified that the specific targets would be the salaries for superintendents and school board officials, although an initial executive order referenced all sorts of educational funding and left local officials questioning what would actually happen. Now, White House press secretary Jen Psaki has suggested at a Tuesday press conference that federal money could be used to pay these salaries if DeSantis acts on this threat. At the same press conference, Psaki also reiterated that officials — like DeSantis — who are resisting public safety measures should “get out of the way.”
As Psaki put it at the White House:
‘If you are not interested in following the public health guidelines to protect the lives of people in your state, to give parents some comfort as they’re sending their kids to school — schools are opening in Florida; this week, I know, in many parts of Florida — then get out of the way and let public officials, let local officials do their job to keep students safe.’
As for the potential of federal funds covering the salaries for local school officials targeted by the DeSantis administration, Psaki referred specifically to funds from the COVID-19 economic relief package that Biden signed into law earlier this year known as the American Rescue Plan. As Psaki put it:
‘In the American Rescue Plan allocation, or in the guidelines, parameters for how that money could be spent, certainly paying for salaries is a part of that, or could be a part of that, and could cover those needs for these officials. And now that money would have to be distributed [by officials in Florida, apparently]. But the Department of Education is looking at options. I’m not making a threat of withholding. Certainly we don’t want to hurt the people of Florida. But we’re looking at a range of options to support the public health officials, the leaders, the teachers, and officials who are trying to protect students and their communities.’
Check out Psaki’s Tuesday comments below:
WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki hints at using federal funds in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R-FL) financial penalties for school officials who defy ban on mask mandates:
"Certainly paying for salaries could be a part of that … we're looking at a range of options …" pic.twitter.com/4MWsQgU1M2
— The Recount (@therecount) August 10, 2021
Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has already insisted that the threat of losing his salary is not going to affect his eventual decision regarding whether to mandate masks. As he put it:
‘At no point shall I allow my decision to be influenced by a threat to my paycheck; a small price to pay considering the gravity of this issue and the potential impact to the health and well-being of our students and dedicated employees.’
Elsewhere in Florida, school officials in counties including Alachua County, which includes Gainesville; and Leon County, which includes the Florida state capital (Tallahassee), have already imposed mask mandates. In Leon County, parents are unable to withdraw their child from the policy of their own accord. Exemptions are only allowed with a note from a doctor or mental health professional.
