executive order

The districts are challenging the department's authority to issue the parental opt-out rule and argue the wording does not prevent them from requiring medical exemptions from wearing masks.

Taking the case to the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee puts an automatic stay on the judge's ruling, which effectively means it would be put on hold while an appeal moves forward.

Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Leon, Duval, Sarasota and Miami-Dade reply to the education commissioner that their policies are appropriate.

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran says the Hillsborough, Sarasota, Orange and Duval districts are noncompliant with a health department rule triggered by a governor's ban on local mandates.

A circuit judge is expected to make his ruling today on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order that bans school districts from requiring students to wear masks.

The closings come after 10 school districts making up about half of Florida's 2.8 million students have enacted mask requirements that flout the governor's challenged executive order.

The counties are the ninth and 10th to defy the governor's executive order requiring parents to decide whether their children wear face coverings in school.

The hearing began with plaintiffs’ attorneys calling medical doctors as witnesses, with arguments centered mostly on the efficacy of wearing masks to help the spread of COVID-19.

Students who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 may not be able to attend school if classmates aren't wearing masks, their parents argue.

Duval County Public Schools has joined the growing list of Florida school districts defying Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order on school mask mandates.