FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The state of Florida is imposing its first penalties against school districts that don’t allow parents to opt their children out of mask rules.
The state Board of Education on Friday alerted Broward and Alachua school board members that funding equal to their salaries will be withheld.
Broward would potentially lose about $31,182 a month, which is equal to the monthly salaries of the eight School Board members who supported the mask mandate. The state will not withhold funding for the salary of Board member Lori Alhadeff, the only member who voted against the mandate. School Board members make $46,773 a year.
Alachua would lose $13,429 a month, which equals the salaries of four School Board members who supported the mandate, the order says. A fifth was board member was recently appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis this week. School Board members here make $40,287.
The penalties would end once the districts comply, the orders say.
The two districts also must submit a report to the state identifying any students who have been disciplined for violating mask policies.
The orders do not call for withholding the salaries of superintendents, which was an original threat by Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.
The move comes as more School Boards are defying orders by Gov. Ron DeSantis and two state agencies to allow parents to choose whether their children must wear masks in schools.. School boards in Miami-Dade, Hillsborough and Palm Beach counties have passed strict mask policies this week that require most students to comply regardless of their parents’ wishes.
The school districts say mask mandates are needed to protect student safety, given the skyrocketing rates of COVID-19 cases, the lack of a vaccine for children under 12 and current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Friday’s orders give Broward and Alachua 48 hours to comply or submit the salaries of school board members who failed to comply with the state law. A prorated portion of their annual salary will be withheld each month, the order says.
“In complying with this order, the School District of Broward County may not reduce any expenditures other than those related to compensation for school board members,” the order says. “Further, the School District of Broward County may not permit the reduction of funds based upon this order to impact student services or teacher pay.”
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(Orlando Sentinel writer Leslie Postal contributed to this report.)
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