MIAMI SHORES, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appears to be softening his stance on mask mandates after multiple school districts voted to defy his ban. However, the face-off is far from over.
A number of public schools across the state have decided to start the school year with mask mandates and now some private schools are doing the same.
The Archdiocese of Miami has decided to implement a mask mandate for all the schools they oversee — which accounts for over 30,000 students.
The Archdiocese of Miami oversees Catholic schools in Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
A small group of protesters met for prayer outside the Archdiocese of Miami, Friday morning.
“We pray that this meeting will bear fruit for the life of the church, for our families, for the culture of life,” said one group attendee.
The group of parents expressed how they feel it should be up to families to make that decision.
“We want that freedom, and our Catholic church should understand that yes we are obedient, but we also have to do things within reason,” said one parent.
“We don’t feel heard right now,” said another parent. “It’s a mandate, and where is our voice?”
The Broward County Public School Board also made the decision to make masks mandatory for students, teachers and staff, defying an executive order by DeSantis.
Just this week, two Broward County teachers and an assistant have died from COVID-19. Their deaths come days before school is set to begin.
“Everybody is just shocked, and they’re devastated, and their hearts are broken,” said Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is expected to make a decision on mask mandates next week.
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