Ron DeSantis is backing a bill that would strip education funding from Democratic counties that retained Covid precautions
Highlights
- Florida governor backs controversial plan to strip $200m in education funding from Democratic counties that defied his executive order banning mask mandates in schools.
- DeSantis, who is widely seen as a leading heir to Donald Trump in the Republican party, plans to send the money instead to mostly Republican counties that supported him.
- The plan, which some analysts believe is almost certainly unconstitutional, was part of a budget bill that passed the Republican-dominated Florida house on Wednesday.
- It was immediately attacked by teachers unions, school districts and education advocates, who say the penalties will strip further resources from classrooms in a state already in the bottom four of per-student spending nationally.