TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A visibly aggravated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admonished a bunch of highschool college students for carrying face masks at an indoor information convention Wednesday, saying it was time to cease what he referred to as “this COVID theater.”
The Republican governor approached the scholars and requested them to take away their masks as they waited for him on the press occasion on the College of South Florida in Tampa. The school is situated in an space the place the federal Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention nonetheless recommends indoor masking on account of excessive COVID-19 threat.
“You don’t have to put on these masks. I imply, please take them off. Truthfully, it’s not doing something. We’ve acquired to cease with this COVID theater. So for those who wanna put on it, fantastic, however that is ridiculous,” he stated, letting out an audible sigh and shaking his head.
DeSantis, a fierce opponent of virus masks and vaccine mandates, is operating for reelection and is taken into account to be a possible 2024 GOP presidential candidate. His opposition to coronavirus masking and vaccine mandates has drawn nationwide consideration, and his administration has banned masks mandates in colleges, typically with the governor and his Republican supporters saying dad and mom ought to have management over the well being care selections of their youngsters.
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One of many college students, 14-year-old Kevin Brown Jr., a highschool freshman, at informed The Related Press he was caught off-guard by DeSantis and felt pressured to eliminated his masks.
“I used to be slightly bit stunned at his tone,” Brown stated of the governor, including that he selected to go away his masks on as a result of there have been many unmasked individuals round and he was cautious of getting COVID-19.
Brown’s father, Kevin Brown Sr., informed WFLA-TV that he would advise DeSantis to “cease bullying children.”
“I inform him it’s his selection, so he made that selection and the governor has no proper to inform no child or nobody who they will or can’t put on a masks. He doesn’t have that proper,” Brown Sr. informed the TV station.
In a press release, Hillsborough County Public Colleges Superintendent Addison Davis stated faculty officers have been excited to have their college students featured within the governor’s information convention, which was concerning the funding of a cybersecurity training initiative, and praised the scholars for a way they acted.
“It’s a pupil and mother or father’s selection to guard their well being in a manner they really feel most acceptable. We’re pleased with the style wherein our college students represented themselves and our college district,” Davis stated.
DeSantis’ workplace didn’t instantly return an e-mail searching for remark. His spokesperson, Christina Pushaw, has tweeted defenses of the governor’s feedback, writing “I imply, somebody needed to say it, after 2 years of propaganda that terrified and manipulated younger individuals. Breathe free, really feel protected and be completely satisfied.”
Although the CDC late final month eased its masking tips, the company remains to be recommending masks indoors in areas it considers excessive threat. Hillsborough County, the place the school is situated, is deemed excessive threat by the CDC.
The incident drew criticism of DeSantis on social media. U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Florida Democrat, tweeted, “Disgrace on you, Governor DeSantis, for berating college students who select to put on masks and for calling the continued #COVID pandemic ‘theater.’”
Observe AP’s protection of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
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