Leon County Schools Withdraw From Appeal Process For School Mask Rule

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Schools in Leon County announced on Tuesday that they were withdrawing from appeal proceedings challenging a ruling in favor of the Florida Department of Health’s emergency rule banning mandatory face masks in class.

Superintendent Rocky Hanna made the following statement to WCTV:

“As we continue to believe in our right to make decisions that are overwhelmingly supported by our community, we no longer believe it is prudent for us to pursue short-term legal recourse to determine where the dividing line lies. between the rights of the state and the rights of our local school system. We will continue to look for other ways to advocate for autonomy and local control in the future. “

A judge in the Administrative Hearings Division ruled on Friday November 5 to uphold the DOH’s emergency rule, which says parents or guardians have “sole discretion” to remove students from mask requirements.

Five school boards, including the one in Leon County, quickly appealed the administrative judge’s decision on November 5.

LCS recently became compliant with state rules on COVID-19 mask wearing and quarantine policies, with Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran make the announcement on November 3.

Now that the district is following the rules, the state will return any funds that were withheld from LCS, including the salaries of school board members.

“The data and the numbers are causing us to comply, not just comply,” Hanna said at a school board meeting on Oct. 26, in which the district’s COVID policies were changed.

This is a developing story.

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