Florida can't enforce ban on school mask mandates, judge rules: "We're not in normal times"

Florida school districts will be allowed to impose mask mandates after a judge ruled against Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, saying the state cannot block the restrictions. The ruling takes effect immediately and will remain in place while the state appeals the decision.

"We're not in normal times. We are in a pandemic," Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper said during a virtual hearing, according to The Associated Press. "We have a (coronavirus) variant that is more infectious and dangerous to children than the one we had last year." Cooper said evidence shows that wearing masks provides some protection when in crowded settings such as schools. The judge emphasized the pandemic's presence within the state and noted that children under 12 years old are still ineligible to receive the vaccine.