DeSantis to sign executive order allowing parents to defy COVID mask mandates at schools

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday he will sign an executive order to "protect the rights of parents" by allowing them to choose whether their children wear a COVID-19 mask in school.

The announcement follows the state's Broward County saying it will require children to wear masks at school going into the 2021-22 school year. 

"In Florida, there will be no lockdowns, there will be no school closures, there will be no restrictions and no mandates in the state of Florida," DeSantis said in his announcement. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.