By Phil Helsel - NBC News
The Florida government warned on Monday that it could withhold the salary of school superintendents who challenge the executive order that prohibits the mandatory use of masks in schools, while the state remains the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.
State Gov. Ron DeSantis last week banned local school districts from requiring students to wear face masks amid a surge in Delta-variant infections.
But at least one Florida school district said they will be mandatory when classes start Wednesday.
[What to do to prevent back-to-school cases of COVID-19 in children?]
The superintendent of schools for Leon County, which includes Tallahassee, the state capital, declared Monday that masks would be temporarily required for all students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Parents may choose not to use them for medical or psychological reasons, but not for political reasons.
"God forbid we lost a child to this virus, I can't just blame the governor,"
said Superintendent Rocky Hanna.
DeSantis, which has resisted coronavirus restrictions, including face mask mandates, issued an executive order on Friday that prohibits school districts from requiring students to wear face masks.
His office noted Monday that districts with mask-wearing rules that allow parents to choose not to wear them for any reason would not violate the rules.
["It's frightening". Children's hospitals are filling up due to the increase in COVID-19 cases among children]
Hanna said the requirement would not be dropped in Leon County schools over issues like personal freedom or politics, at least for now.
If things improve by Labor Day, people might choose not to participate for other reasons.
The superintendent believes that the district must err on the side of caution to keep children safe.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during the American Legislative Exchange Council on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah.AP Photo / Rick Bowmer
DeSantis' office said the State Board of Education "would strictly adapt any financial measure," citing salaries as an example.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that all students in kindergarten through grade 12 wear masks when they return to classrooms, regardless of vaccination, citing the spread of the Delta variant.
Children under the age of 12 cannot yet get vaccinated.
[Studies of COVID-19 Vaccines for Children 5-11 Years Old Expand]
The state's largest school district, Miami-Dade County, has yet to make any decisions about the masks, but its superintendent stated Monday that salary threats would play no role in policymaking.
A doctor gives recommendations to parents in the face of the increase in COVID-19 infections among children
Aug. 9, 202103: 31
The district, which begins classes on August 23, has a process that involves consultation with medical and public health experts, said Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho.
"At no time will I allow my decision to be influenced by a threat to my salary
, a small price to pay considering the severity of this problem and the potential impact on the health and well-being of our students and employees," stated Carvalho.
Florida reported its highest number of daily coronaovirus cases to the CDC on Friday: 23,903 new infections.
[Six unvaccinated members of a Florida church die of COVID-19 and the priest organizes an event to immunize the rest]
Some other states have also prohibited schools from requiring face masks or have tried.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Republican, issued an executive order in May prohibiting school districts from requiring masks, as well as other government entities.
The Dallas Independent School District announced Monday that it requires masks for all students, workers and visitors.
The district says on its website that "Governor Abbott's order does not limit the rights of the district as an employer and educational institution to establish reasonable and necessary safety rules for its staff and students. Dallas ISD remains committed to the safety of our students and personal".
Another district in Texas, Austin ISD, will also require masks on all district properties.
[A 15-year-old Hispanic woman, who was not vaccinated, remains in an induced coma after contracting COVID-19 in Florida]
Austin ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde told a Board of Trustees meeting Monday that she is responsible for the safety of students and staff.
"If I'm wrong, I must be wrong on the side of ensuring that we have been too cautious, not that we have fallen short," he said.
The number of coronavirus cases in the United States since the pandemic began surpassed 36 million on Monday, according to figures from NBC News, the sister network of Noticias Telemundo.
More than 620,000 people have died from the pandemic in the country.
