“A judge siding with Gov. Ron DeSantis Friday in the ongoing battle over mask mandates will have no impact on whether children in Sarasota County Schools have to wear a mask to school, according to Sarasota County School Board attorney Dan DeLeo. The First District Court of Appeal on Friday granted a stay to a prior ruling that prevented the governor from enforcing a ban on mask mandates. The stay means that the state could punish School Boards that attempt to make masks mandatory,” reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

“DeLeo said the most recent ruling would not have any impact on Sarasota’s current mask-mandatory policy. He said to expect future rulings on the issue, but the big question will be whether districts like Sarasota will get in trouble for requiring masks. ‘The issue that is being worked out isn’t whether or not there will be a mask mandate,’ DeLeo said. ‘The issue is what punishment, if any, is the governor through the Department of Education able to impose on our School Board.’ Sarasota, where masks are mandatory for everyone with no parental opt out, has already received notice that state officials are considering imposing consequences on School Board members.”

“Sarasota, where masks are mandatory for everyone with no parental opt out, has already received notice that state officials are considering imposing consequences on School Board members. DeLeo said the district had received a letter from Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran threatening to take away the salary of School Board members if the policy remained in place.”