Florida considers private school vouchers if masks required

Florida's Board of Education is holding an emergency meeting to discuss awarding private school vouchers for children whose parents don't want them to follow mask requirements in public schools

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida’s Board of Education was holding an emergency meeting Friday to discuss awarding private school vouchers for children whose parents don’t want them to follow mask requirements in public schools. The meeting was scheduled a week after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the departmentto come up with ways of punishing school districts that mandate mask-wearing in classrooms. DeSantis sees that as a violation of parental rights. DeSantis also cited Florida’s new Parents Bill of Rights law that says parents have the freedom to make decisions about their children’s health and education. DeSantis said in his order that the rules could include withholding money from school districts or other actions allowed under Florida law. Two Florida school districts have decided to follow recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and require masks when they restart classes next week because of dramatic rises in coronavirus infections. Florida now leads the country in COVID-19 related hospitalizations.