Judge blocks Florida mask mandate ban

Ten school districts in Florida defied Gov. Ron DeSantis to require masks, and a group of parents sued the governor. On Friday, Circuit Judge John C. Cooper ruled that DeSantis overstepped his authority by ordering schools not to issue mask mandates. The governor’s office said the state would appeal the ruling.

What was in the order? DeSantis’ order gave parents the decision-making power over whether to mask their children at school, citing a recent Florida law. But Cooper said the districts’ requirements fell within an exception that allows the government to take reasonable, limited actions required for public health. After hitting 21,000 new coronavirus cases per day in mid-August, Florida’s surge in infections and hospitalizations started to slow down. More than 16,000 people entered the hospital for COVID-19 on Thursday in the state.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Dunn and Esther Eaton’s report on the debate over mask requirements in schools.