Topline The Florida State Board of Education voted Thursday to withhold funds from eight school districts that have imposed mask mandates in violation of a state-level ban on them—and moved to thwart the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to assist those districts through federal grants that would make up for the lost money. Students wearing face masks arrive at Baldwin Park Elementary School in Orlando, Florida. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Key Facts The board accepted recommendations from Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to withhold state funds in an amount equivalent to school board members’ salaries—as it’s already done for several districts—as well as funding equivalent to any amount the district receives in federal grants because of its mask mandate. Only two districts, in Alachua and Broward counties, have already been awarded federal funds so far, but the board’s punishment also applies to schools that haven’t yet gotten federal grant money in case they receive it in the future. The U.S. Department of Education established a new grant program called Project SAFE to help schools that have been punished by their state government because of Covid-19 mitigation measures like mask mandates. During a meeting of the Florida State Board of Education on Thursday, officials from the school districts argued they are in compliance with state law because the districts provided some exceptions like medical exemptions, as well as have provisions that loosen the mask orders if Covid-19 transmission in the district drops. The board withdrew votes on three school districts that… Click below to read the full story from Forbes
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