Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on mask mandates in schools was reinstated Friday by the First District Court of Appeals.
The ruling reverses a decision from a Leon County Circuit judge earlier this week that put the mask mandate ban on hold while legal challenges go through the courts.
The court's Friday ruling means that parents will be allowed to make the decision about whether their children should wear face coverings in school.
No surprise here - the 1st DCA has restored the right of parents to make the best decisions for their children.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 10, 2021
I will continue to fight for parents’ rights.
"Just like last year in the school re-opening litigation, the First District Court of Appeal has reinstated Florida’s ability to protect the freedom for parents to make the best decisions for their children while they make their own ruling on the appeal," Taryn Fenske, DeSantis' communications director, said of Friday's ruling in a statement to ABC News. "We look forward to winning the appeal and will continue to fight for parents’ rights."
Florida officials will now also be able to issue financial consequences to schools that decide to defy DeSantis' order and mandate that students wear masks. The Biden administration, however, has previously promised to reimburse school districts who endure financial penalties over their decision to implement mask mandates.
School boards in 13 districts in the state have voted to defy the governor's anti-mask mandate order and require masks in schools due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.