Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday afternoon held a roundtable discussion about masks at schools, but he didn’t invite or include traditional public school educators, even as the new public school year looms and families and educators face decisions on mask-wearing.
In addition to health officials on the roundtable, the participants included two nontraditional public charter schools and a rising senior from a Tallahassee private school. Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran was not a panelist.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said she was unaware of the roundtable on Monday afternoon, but would look into it further. That day, the Florida Association of District School Superintendents held a phone conference with Commissioner Corcoran to discuss the coming school year.
The situation became unusual because the media was not allowed to attend the roundtable, despite major concerns across the state about how to approach the next school year, including the mask issue.
The roundtable also was not published on the usual Florida Channel. But it was posted Monday on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Rumble account. (It was not visible today.) Usually, the governor’s Facebook has been used to post videos.
At the roundtable, the governor said that, “At this point, our school districts have proposed ‘mask optional. I think our fear is, is that seeing some of those rumblings, if there’d be an attempt from the federal level or even some of these organizations to try to push for mandatory masking of schoolchildren.”
“So our view is this should absolutely not be imposed, should not be mandated. And I know our Legislature feels strongly about this. Such that, if we started to see push from the feds or some of these local school districts, I know that they’re interested in even a special session to be able to provide protections for parents and kids who want to breathe free.”
Attending the discussion was Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, one of three doctors who participated in earlier DeSantis roundtables on COVID policy. None is an epidemiologist, and YouTube removed a video of the first discussion because it violated company policy on medical misinformation.
The governor’s daily schedule, released at 9:20 p.m., well after the roundtable wound down, reflected separate interviews with Bhattacharya and representatives of Foundation for Government Accountability, a conservative think tank with connections to the DeSantis administration.
“Dr. Bhattacharya had requested this interview a couple of months ago for a documentary he is working on. FGA had also requested an interview for a video series they are doing. They’ve interviewed several other governors on policy areas such as employment and workforce, education, law enforcement, etc.,” DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw said via email on Tuesday.
“With the recent uptick in discussion around mask mandates in schools this upcoming academic year, and indications that the federal government might advise masking children as young as 3 years old, Gov. DeSantis wanted to exchange perspectives on this topic with experts like Dr. Bhattacharya and other medical professionals, as well as a concerned parent, student, and (charter) school administrator,” Pushaw said.
As for the lack of notice:
“It wasn’t really meant to be a media event, although we know it’s of interest to the media — that’s why we sent you guys the link to the transcript,” Pushaw said. “It was supposed to be more of a discussion between the governor and these stakeholders, the doctors as well as the mom and kid and the (charter) school director.”
Charter schools are public schools that have more flexibility and for the most part they are run by private entities. They are required to administer statewide exams. However, in Florida and elsewhere, charters and traditional schools have clashed.
The Florida Education Association, a statewide teacher union, was not aware of the roundtable on Monday, said FEA president Andrew Spar.
“If he (DeSantis) was intending for it to be a part of the discourse across the state, and a part of the conversation…I think he would have made it a very public event,” Spar said.
–Michelle Brown, with Deputy Editor Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix
Shelly says
Here’s a kleenex.
Jane says
We should not be listening to politicians. Their interests are in getting votes. Listen to doctors and scientists- these are intelligent people who care about the public. Even when you get contradictory information- most agree on vaccinations, masks, frequent hand washing and social distancing. Just do it! Please!!!
Robjr says
Dude is slicker that snot on a …….
Mark says
So? Teachers aren’t doctors. Follow the science with doctors!
R. Schrein says
When the elite meet to eat and greet. And make decisions irrelevant to the general public.
David S. says
DeathSantis is as useless as truck load of horse manure.
mausborn says
The US continues to pay a steep price for the 2016 election every day. It’s so hard to rebuild in the wake of so much deliberate destruction.
The unvaccinated are the cause of the continuing pandemic. They are the cause of most deaths since April and the rapid spread of the Delta variant in mostly Redstates
mark101 says
The man is a danger to all children. Yesterday in NC news. . “”Younger, unvaccinated populations are enduring the effects of the rapidly spreading Delta variant of COVID-19, with children representing a higher percentage of positive cases than in the past, Atrium Health officials said in a press conference last week.
As of July 15, children represent 12.7% of cumulative positive cases in the state, up 0.1% since the start of the month, according to data from the American Association of Pediatrics. However, over the first two weeks of July, children have made up 15.3% of all new cases.
National data shows a similar trend, with pediatric cases representing 43,033 of new cases over the same period.””
Kentucky : 2 hrs ago ” FRANKFORT, Ky. (WYMT) – The number of counties in the mountains with a positivity rate above 25.0 per 100,000 people reached ten on Tuesday as the governor announced more than 1,200 new COVID-19 cases in the state.
The governor announced 1,273 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state’s total case number to 477,882.
251 of Tuesday’s new cases were children 18 and younger. 520 Kentuckians remain hospitalized with 175 in the ICU. 83 patients remain on a ventilator. The state’s positivity rate climbed to 8.11%, the 31st consecutive day with an increase in the positivity rate.
Gov. Beshear also announced four deaths Tuesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 7,323.””
DeSantis needs to stop listening to Fox medical “experts” and listen to real doctors that are fighting to keep children well.
And where is Biden on this. Is he pulling a Trumper and not requesting a National mask mandate. Whats going on. Forget freaking politics and provide direction. There is nothing worse than seeing a small child on a ventilator. But you keep rolling the dice with your own & your child’s lives and let me know how that works for you! This is nothing to play with and you should do everything in your power to get the shot! Grown folks acting like children over a small shot in the arm! Honestly!
John Stove says
Right out of the Trump playbook. Hold a meeting with like minded people to show your ” bigly working on the matter” but dont allow anyone to attend who might have a different point of view or let the media ask questions.
How soon before Desantis starts with the Bulls**t of “I alone can fix this”?…….and “the media is blowing the Covid spike out of proportion”…..like we arent smart enough to see that Flagler and Adventist Hospitals are seeing a rise in unvaccinated people admitted with positive Covid 19 – Delta.
What a smug little bufoon he is…
Ben Dover says
When are they going to arrest this sleazy turdknocker for mass murder , he`s been spreading this virus on purpose from day one , should be arrested , tried and executed , he is purposely killing people , this Bio Weapon Trump bought from the Wuhan Lab was engineered to kill people of color , the elderly and the sick, all the people the Rethuglican Party hate , after Trump paid them to design it in 2017 a year later he fired all the Pandemic response teams that would of contained it , Trump told Woodward how deadly and contagious it was , then lied to the American people said it was a hoax , convinced his base to not wear masks , started holding super spreader rallies demanding they not wear them even after one of his team members Herman Cain died , poor Herman was black he did not get the same level of care as Trump and his white staff received, Just before the Bio weapon reached the states Trump sold most of our stock piled PPE to China , 18 tons of it , oh it says he donated it , but Trump gives nobody anything for free , we later found out he had secret bank accounts in China , it`s how he paid for the weapon in the first place , This virus didn`t escape from the Wuhan lab , they released it at the open food market just one block away , Trump and his party have been spreading it ever since , even attacked our Capitol to try and stay in power to keep on spreading it , now they are sabotaging Biden`s recovery efforts , We are at war with the Rethuglican Party they are all Russian Assets
Mythoughts says
Can someone tell DeSantis his idol Donald Trump lost the election because he took politics over scientist. If DeSantis wants to remain in politics he needs to start taking this virus seriously and stop following in Donald Trumps foot steps.
DeSantis do what is right to save lives not kill innocent people you want to vote for you.
OnlyMe says
DeathSantis doesn’t care about anyone but himself and getting elected and he sure has a strange way of trying to get elected, killing off innocent people in the state he is governor.
He is a honor member of the Cult Republicans that are greedy, selfish and only care about power. They could careless who lives they destroy or kill.
Wise up people for your own well being and those you love, vote this clown out when you get the opportunity.
Sue noble says
Nikki Fried for governor!
Steve says
Go to a redhat rally and breathe deeply do the World a favor
Mike Thompson says
Your so cute, never getting a vaccine! Deal with it