Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released a statement on Monday saying the state “could withhold the salaries of superintendents and board members” who go against his executive order and mandate masks in schools:
#BREAKING: @GovRonDeSantis office released a statement to #CBS4 that @EducationFL could withhold the salaries of superintendents and school board members who implement #maskmandates. Full statement ➡️ https://t.co/1XP7fMtPO7
— CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami) August 9, 2021
But will this actually keep kids from getting masked in schools?
Bring the heat, @GovRonDeSantis! Children should not be masked! Period. https://t.co/CBWm6ZTj2N
— Madison Gesiotto Gilbert (@madisongesiotto) August 10, 2021
Florida Dem and potential DeSantis challenger Nikki Fried called this “third-world dictator level dangerous”:
Defunding schools and school administrators for refusing to endanger children is third-world dictator level dangerous. This should alarm everyone in the country, not just Florida. https://t.co/YlqkbA8SHL
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 9, 2021
As we’ve pointed out in previous posts, Fried has a problem with the truth.
DeSantis spox Christina Pushaw fact-checked Fried, saying “Only the salaries of those superintendents and school board members who intentionally defy the EO and the subsequent rules protecting parents’ rights” and “Think of it like targeted sanctions”:
More disinformation from Nikki Fried. Schools wouldn't be defunded. Only the salaries of those superintendents and school board members who intentionally defy the EO and the subsequent rules protecting parents' rights. Think of it like targeted sanctions. https://t.co/xGWFLisRzQ
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) August 9, 2021
Basically, DeSantis wants parents to decide if a kid wears a mask or not:
Agree with you Madison. But at the end of the day… Families should have the choice! And that’s why @GovRonDeSantis signed the EO. https://t.co/fSqqwlLYke
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) August 10, 2021
In response to DeSantis’ statement, Miami-Dade School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said, “At no point shall I allow my decision to be influenced by a threat to my paycheck”:
Statement from @MiamiSup reacting to Governor DeSantis’ threat to withhold salary from superintendents and school board members who vote to impose mask mandates. @nbc6 @MDCPS pic.twitter.com/LmFt8MPPkT
— Ari Odzer (@ariodzernbc6) August 9, 2021
And Dr. Rosalind Osgood, chair of the Broward County school board, said, “I won’t be bullied into voting from a perspective of parochial self Interest”:
Chair of the @browardschools school board responding to statement by the governor that he would withhold salaries from board members and superintendents who vote for mask mandates. @nbc6 https://t.co/IIpJa1E0ii
— Ari Odzer (@ariodzernbc6) August 10, 2021
Is it also not a problem that this school official has so many grammatical mistakes in her tweet?
I won’t be bullied into voting from a perspective of parochial self Interest. Mask will not take away anything from anyone. Mask make school environments safer for everyone. I love the people that attend school or work in our schools in Broward County. Their lives are invaluable
— Dr. Rosalind Osgood (@ReverendRos) August 9, 2021
Pushaw called Osgood’s statement “virtue signaling” and noted that “Broward has either a mask recommended or opt-out policy, which means parents have the right to choose if their kids wear masks to school or not’:
No, they’re just virtue signaling. Broward has either a mask recommended or opt-out policy, which means parents have the right to choose if their kids wear masks to school or not, unless something changed? Only Leon and Alachua are denying parents the right to opt out
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) August 10, 2021
And, as a reminder, DeSantis has been through this news cycle before:
Flashback to a year ago. Florida was the biggest state to reopen schools. This was the Narrative.
Now, even @GovRonDeSantis opponents agree that opening schools was the right thing to do. pic.twitter.com/nJFxRGZEPA
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) August 10, 2021
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