There have been many chapters to the mask requirement within The School District of Lee County. The latest one reinstates the opt-out option that was previously rescinded. Superintendent of SDLC, Ken Savage, says he’s frustrated with the decision but wants to stay within the law. Now, WINK News is speaking to doctors about how the […]
Parents are continually fighting for their rights to make decisions for their children. This as many doctors and school districts suggest or even mandate what is best for students. While parents are not backing down, WINK News asks legal experts how far parental rights extend? Chances are, within the past few months, you’ve heard Florida […]
Lee County parents will want to make sure their kids have their masks on before they head out the door Wednesday morning, because the mask mandate for students and teachers is taking effect. The director of Florida Gulf Coast University’s physician assistant program weighs in on concerns some parents have expressed. One might think the […]
On Monday, The School District of Lee County announced it would be mandating masks across the district without an opt-out option. Now, parents in Collier County are wondering, some even hoping, if based on the district’s COVID-19 dashboard figures the same will happen there. Every number on the dashboard represents someone who has contracted coronavirus. For […]
The Education Department announced Monday that it’s investigating five Republican–led states that have banned mask requirements in schools, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions. The department’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah. Those states have barred […]
Will the Lee County School Board reverse course and mandate all students to wear masks in class? The seven board members meet Monday evening at 5 p.m. and are expected to vote again on the measure. More and more students and teachers go into COVID-19 quarantine every day, with no end in sight. On Friday, […]
School districts in Florida may impose mask mandates, a judge said Friday, ruling that Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his authority by issuing an executive order banning the mandates. Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper agreed with a group of parents who claimed in a lawsuit that DeSantis’ order is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. […]
President Joe Biden is threatening to take states to court if they don’t institute school mask mandates to combat the current COVID-19 surge. This begs the legal question: Would the case be framed as a matter of education or public health? In court, it can’t be both. If this issue is categorized as a public […]
The State Board of Education on Friday followed up on its threat to financially penalize local school officials who impose student mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing how it is targeting salaries of school board members in Alachua and Broward counties. State board Chairman Tom Grady and Vice Chairman Ben Gibson signed orders that […]
School districts defying some states’ mask mandate bans are coming under increasing pressure even as the debate over the bans intensifies nationwide. Demonstrations for and against the prohibitions are becoming more and more frequent in and outside school board meetings where they’re being considered as a way to try to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The […]