On masks, DCPS pivots from whatever to yeah, whatever

 To say I was disappointed in District leadership is an understatement. I get it to with the pandemic, and just Florida in general DCPS starts in a pretty deep hole; the problem is their only inclination seems to be, keep digging. 

Did you ever see Animal House when Dean Wormer tells the members of Delta Tau Chi that they have gone from probation to double secret probation? Wel the district basically did the same thing when it went from masks are suggested to really, really, really suggested. 

From the Times Union,

 Less than three weeks out from the first day of school in Jacksonville, Duval County Public Schools is revising its face mask policy for the 2021-22 school year. 

On Wednesday, the district announced it would upgrade its mask policy from "optional" to "strongly recommended" for unvaccinated students. The change comes as the City of Jacksonville continues to push back Florida's latest COVID-19 surge. Still, the masks aren't mandatory. 

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/education/2021/07/21/duval-schools-updates-covid-19-mask-policy-unvaccinated-students/8041505002/?fbclid=IwAR3T7C8hJQt5f7f_XXYxcejNUIAqj9paB5wXDhonoYLjbfl4cuMS27rliTQ  

Sorry, not suggested to really, really, really suggested but from optional to recommended, though I would argue that is a distinction without a difference.

Here is the thing, I don't plan to wear a mask when school starts though I would shrug and do so if required. I hated teaching with a mask, almost as much as I hated fighting with a couple kids to keep their masks on.

The thing is, this is all mute. 

From the AP,

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved to suspend all remaining COVID-19 restrictions imposed by communities across his state, signing into law on Monday freshly passed legislation giving him sweeping powers to invalidate local emergency measures put in place during the pandemic — including mask mandates, limitations on business operations and the shuttering of schools.

In addition to signing the law, which goes into effect July 1, the Republican governor also signed a pair of executive orders to move more quickly, meaning that existing coronavirus measures enacted by local governments — such as requiring masks — would be abolished immediately.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” DeSantis said, “but I think this creates a structure that’s going to be a little bit more respectful, I think, of people’s businesses, jobs, schools and personal freedom.”

https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-laws-health-083b2c00304c9569a78040ca741aeba1

First, I thought Republicans believed in local control? Though I guess, like most things they preach about, it's just a lie.

That was from May, though the fact that Florida leads the nation, by far as the fourth wave hits haven't moved are wannabe dictator. 

From News4Jax,

Gov. Ron DeSantis doubled down Thursday on his opposition to mask mandates for public-school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he would call for a special legislative session if the federal government moves toward requiring masks in schools.

“There’s been talk about potentially people advocating at the federal level, imposing compulsory masks on kids,” DeSantis said. “We’re not doing that in Florida, OK? We need our kids to breathe.”

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/07/22/gov-desantis-vows-to-fight-school-mask-mandates/

This guy really doesn't give a $@#& about COVID, or sadly if people live or die. 

I guess this must mean DCPS is off the hook, and it all falls on the governor, right? Um, no, if you think that you are wrong. 

The State Constitution gives DCPS control of all schools in the district, not the governor. Every time the governor or commissioner of education does something like this, it erodes their power and makes it easier for them to do it next time easier.  It's a lack of leadership that lets the governor come in and bully local districts, and that's what we have. 

The superintendent and school board pass the buck like that, and not educating our children is their job, and they do so to the detriment of present and future students and staff.  

COVID and the state put us in a hole, but it was the super and school board's choice to keep digging.  

I don't want to wear a mask and given the choice I won't but whether I have that choice or not should be a decision made locally and based on science, not a mandate from a science-denying fascist playing to a willfully uneducated base. Leaders, good leaders would recognize that.