The state of Florida could “withhold” paychecks from school district superintendents who impose mask mandates on their students and teachers, the governor’s office said Monday.
“The State Board of Education could move to withhold the salary of the district superintendent or school board members,” Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said in a statement outlining the “financial consequences for noncompliance” with the governor’s executive order barring schools from implementing mask-wearing requirements.
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The statement describes the “state law” created by DeSantis’ order issued in late July as a means of protecting parents’ rights to “make decisions about their children’s education and health care decisions.”
Last week, the governor had threatened to withhold funding from school districts, but his office walked that threat back Monday, saying the state Board of Education preferred to “narrowly tailor” repercussions to punish the “decision-makers who led to the violation of law.”
“Education funding is intended to benefit students first and foremost, not systems,” DeSantis’ office acknowledged.
Despite the threat, the superintendent of Florida’s capital county -- Leon County -- was undaunted after announcing in a press conference earlier Monday he would require masks in the classroom, despite the executive order.
“You can’t put a price tag on someone’s life, including my salary,” Superintendent Rocky Hanna said late Monday, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
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