Amid covid surge, DeSantis lets parents choose if their kids wear masks at school

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced Friday that parents will be given the choice of whether their children follow mask rules in school this fall, challenging federal guidance and local school districts in what critics called an “irresponsible” and “appalling” decision amid a surge of infections.

Florida reported more than 17,000 new cases on Friday, eight times the daily infections reported last month. The delta variant coupled with vaccine holdouts have led to a national surge in infections, hospitalizations and deaths. DeSantis’s announcement came after several Republican-led states have barred mask mandates in schools.