FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A father was taken into custody during his protest against Broward County Public Schools’ mask mandate.
Fort Lauderdale Police arrested 50-year-old Dan Bauman Wednesday morning, charging him with child abuse without great bodily harm.
According to police, Bauman was recording on his cellphone as he was walking into Fort Lauderdale High School with his daughter, Isabel. That’s when he got into an altercation with another student over the recording.
“She’s the only kid to stand up and fight this,” Bauman said before his arrest. “I mean, look around you, they’re so indoctrinated.”
“And if they’re against me, that’s fine,” Isabel said. “I mean, they can wear a mask if they want to. My point is I don’t wanna wear one, and that is my right. I want to be able to go to school, like everyone does, but I can’t wear a mask, I can’t breathe in it, and I want to have that choice but they’re not letting me in.”
For the last several days, Bauman and his daughter have attempted to enter the school without wearing masks, to no avail.
Police said the student tried to take Bauman’s phone because she didn’t want to be recorded, and Bauman “pushed the child by the shoulder and grabbed her hand and twisting her arm in an aggressive manner.”
“That’s kind of, like, messed up to do. You should not put your hands on other people,” said a student.
“I think it’s crazy that he would try to do something like that,” said another student.
“You know you’re not supposed to touch kids like that,” said another student.
“Not everybody wants to wear [the mask], especially people who are vaccinated,” said another student. “I mean, it’s not as big as a health issue for them.” When asked about her thoughts about Bauman getting into a fight with a student, she said, “I think that was totally, like, not right of him.”
“I think that’s uncalled for,” said another student.
“There was a grown man, right here, 10 feet away from the gated school today touching a high school girl,” said another student.
“What happened today is incredibly stupid. I mean, I’m in high school, and I know not to touch other people who don’t want to be touched,” said another student.
“If you don’t want to wear [a mask], don’t wear one and stay home. Homeschool is an option; it’s free,” said another student.
“This shouldn’t be such a big thing,” said another student.
“I don’t mind doing this. We don’t mind doing this. We’re not discouraged,” Bauman said.
Bauman and his daughter had previously been denied entry to the school due to her refusal to wear a mask.
“She has a right to an education. I’m paying for this. Our taxes are paying for this,” Bauman said previously.
Even with the demand from some parents and the state to end the mask mandate, the school board is not budging. Wednesday’s attempt ended with Bauman’s arrest.
His arrest comes one day after the school board reiterated its mask mandate.
“And that’s what they’re doing, they’re taking away parents’ rights,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
With 10 counties defying the governor’s mask mandate order, Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran delivered the following message.
“We’re not joking, you have to follow the rule of law,” he said. “You have to do what is right, and if you’re not going to do what is right, we will withhold your salaries.”
The state isn’t really going to be withholding salaries. Instead, they will be deducting the amount equal to a portion of the salaries from the general fund.
The Biden administration said they will reimburse the counties for that money.
Bauman is facing a child abuse charge. He is set to face a judge Thursday morning.
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