Daily Beast takes some journalistic liberties in order to link Florida principal's death from 'long COVID' to Ron DeSantis

Better watch your backs, Floridians. Looks like Gov. Ron DeSantis’ COVID body count is still rising:

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sparked outrage by calling students and teachers back to schools in July 2020, principal Jimbo Jackson pushed back. Now, nearly two years later, Jackson has died after suffering complications from long COVID. https://t.co/U94ncorYpg

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) June 1, 2022

The Daily Beast’s Kevin Fallon writes:

In the summer of 2020, DeSantis’ directive to reopen schools and call teachers back to work in-person sparked controversy, considering the alarming rate of COVID cases in his state.

“As a school leader, I cannot continue to see my school family mourn our friends and then tell them that ‘I can keep you safe when you come to school.’ That would certainly be a lie and a slap in the face to the Byrd and Bradwell families as they grieve and plan memorial services for angels gone too soon,” Jackson said at the time.

“With what the Fort Braden School community has already endured, I cannot support a return to brick and mortar school and respectfully call on our state leaders to postpone the return of students to school buildings until such time as it is reasonably safe for all members of our school communities. Our students, staff, and personnel are not a gamble I am willing to take when lives hang in the balance.”

And now Jackson’s death is on Ron DeSantis’ head?

https://twitter.com/DaltonHill_4/status/1531849243769683969

Senseless. Tragic. With @GovRonDeSantis & @GOP, power, money & cruelty are always the point. #DeathSantis https://t.co/fOHk3a5tc1

— Cult-FreeConnie SaveUkraine🇺🇦 SaveDemocracy🇺🇸 (@ImmaBlueDot) June 1, 2022

Two things. One, no actual description of what constituted “long COVID” is given.

Two, it is stated that he got COVID before schools returned. Therefore, there is no connection here to DeSantis’ order.

The media knows what it’s doing. https://t.co/hHnYwikOgt

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) June 1, 2022

He got it before anyone returned to school. Article mentions that in passing.

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) June 1, 2022

“In passing” is right:

In July 2020, after a second employee who worked at Florida principal Jimbo Jackson’s school died of COVID, he fought back against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to reopen schools for in-person classes.

Jackson, who was the head of Fort Braden School and a Leon County commissioner, had also just recently tested positive for COVID himself.

So Jackson tested positive in July 2020, when school was not in session and he had not been in school for some time.