Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mask Rules For Most Florida Students Fly In Face Of Gov. DeSantis' Orders
AP: Masks Ordered For Most Florida Students, Defying DeSantis
Just over half of Florida’s 2.8 million public school students now face mandates to wear masks in classrooms as a courtroom battle continues over efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis to leave such decisions up to parents. A majority of school board members in Orange County told the superintendent on Tuesday to require most students to wear masks, and agreed with her recommendation to keep the mandate through Oct. 30. (Anderson, 8/26)
Health News Florida: Orange, Indian River School Boards Enact Mask Mandates Without Parental Opt-Outs
Orange County and Indian River County on Tuesday became the ninth and 10th school districts in the state to enact mask mandates with only medical exemptions. The decisions are in opposition to the governor's executive order requiring parents to decide whether their children wear face coverings in school. Neither county will allow for parental opt-outs. Enforcement begins Monday in both counties. (Mayer and Prieur, 8/25)
The Hill: Florida Hospital Removes Doctor For Offering Parents $50 Mask Opt-Out Letters
A Florida hospital said it removed a local doctor who posted on social media that he would provide mask opt-out letters at a price of $50 each for parents who did not want their children to be required to comply with school mask mandates. The Capital Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Tallahassee said it had been notified of Facebook posts by Brian Warden, a recent medical school graduate who moved from Philadelphia to Tallahassee to work for a physicians group that contracted with the hospital, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. (Castronuovo, 8/25)
In other news about mask mandates —
The Boston Globe: Mass. Public School Students And Staff Are Now Required To Wear Masks Indoors Until At Least Oct. 1
Massachusetts public school students and staff are required to wear masks inside school buildings effective immediately, regardless of vaccination status, according to a mandate issued Wednesday by Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley. Under the requirement, most people will be required to wear masks until at least Oct. 1, with just a handful of exceptions. After that date, schools that have 80 percent or more of their students and staff fully vaccinated will be allowed to drop the mandate for vaccinated people only; unvaccinated students and staff would still be required to wear masks. (Gans, 8/25)
The Hill: Iowa Governor Facing Lawsuits Over Mask Mandate Bans, Cutting Federal Benefits
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) is facing two lawsuits over a ban on mask mandates and her decision to cut federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Frances Parr, a mother of two boys, filed a lawsuit in state court on Monday seeking to require the state to issue a universal mask mandate for schools, at least temporarily, according to a copy of the complaint published by The Des Moines Register. (Williams, 8/25)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Board Of Education To Vote Thursday On Statewide School Mask Mandate
The Maryland state school board will vote Thursday on whether to institute a statewide mandate requiring every child and adult to be masked in schools. Although most Central Maryland school districts have mandated all students and faculty to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, five counties, including Carroll, do not have a similar requirement in place. (Bowie, 8/25)
The Hill: Anti-Mask Protesters Disrupt Connecticut Governor's Back-To-School Event
Anti-mask protesters disrupted Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s (D) back-to-school event Wednesday evening, that eventually resulted in him being followed to his vehicle. Lamont was hosting a back-to-school roundtable Wednesday with education and public health officials about returning to schools safely. All of the attendees at the roundtable, including the governor, were wearing masks. (Williams, 8/25)
Axios: The Fight Over Mask Mandates In Schools Turns Violent
As children head back to the classroom, a "vocal minority" in the U.S. have resorted to violence or disruptive measures to protest against mask mandates in schools. While the majority of Americans support the mandates, per a recent Axios/Ipsos poll, back-to-school confrontations across the U.S. have gotten so hot that teachers and other officials have been punched, hit and screamed at. (Saric, 8/26)
ABC News: Texas Father Strips Down To Swimsuit To Take Stance On School Mask Mandates
As mask mandates have spurred heated debates at school board meetings nationwide, one Texas man took a bold approach to showing his support: He stripped down to his swim trunks. The stunt occurred during a meeting Monday for the Dripping Springs Independent School District, near Austin. (Deliso, 8/25)
