School boards defy governors' bans on mask mandates

[NFA] School districts in Florida and Texas are bucking their Republican governors' bans on requiring masks for children and teachers as coronavirus cases soar in conservative areas with low vaccination rates.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

School districts in Florida and Texas are bucking their Republican governors' bans on requiring masks for children and teachers as coronavirus cases soar.

The Broward County school board in Florida on Tuesday became the latest major district to flout an order by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis outlawing mask requirements in that state… Voting Tuesday - eight to one - in favor of a mask mandate.

That’s despite a threat from DeSantis the day before to financially punish school districts that require masks.

And in Texas - the Dallas Independent School District said late Monday that it would also require masks, despite an order banning such mandates from Republican Governor Greg Abbott.

The acts of rebellion by school officials come as these states - along with Louisiana, Arkansas and others - are flooded with new cases after people resisted vaccines and other mitigating measures.

Teachers and administrators are seeking to protect students, many of whom are under 12 years old and cannot get vaccinated.

DESANTIS: “It's about parental choice not government mandate." DeSantis on Tuesday insisted parents should make their own decision on whether their kids should be masked in school: “If you believe in the masking during the school, you're free to do it.

No one's saying you can't do it.” But health officials are sounding the alarm… worried about what they say is a growing threat to children.

Dr. James Versalovic is the interim pediatrician-in-chief at Texas Children's Hospital: "Since early July, we've seen a steady increase in the number of cases and we've also seen an increase in hospitalized children and adolescents as well... It is considered a fourth wave here and it's due to the Delta variant, plain and simple.

The Delta variant is the most contagious variant of COVID yet known.

This Delta variant now comprises well over 90 percent of our cases in children and adolescents.” In Florida, where lawsuits have also been filed challenging the anti-mask order, DeSantis has threatened to withhold salaries from school district officials who flout his ban.

Now, the Biden administration is reviewing how it can get money to Florida school districts if DeSantis makes good on threats to withhold pay from school leaders who require masks for students.