FL Loses Bid To Toss School Boards’ Mask Ban Challenge

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports:

An administrative law judge Wednesday rejected a request by the Florida Department of Health to dismiss a challenge by six school boards to a rule that seeks to prevent student mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision by Judge Brian Newman came a day before a hearing is scheduled to start in the challenge filed by the school boards in Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Duval, Alachua and Leon counties.

Attorneys for the Department of Health argued that the case should be tossed out because the school boards do not have legal standing to challenge the rule, which is rooted in a July 30 executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis aimed at preventing mask mandates.

Read the full article.