Arizona governor blocks cash from schools mandating masks

By BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is upping the pressure on the growing number of public school districts defying a state ban on mask mandates as they try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The Republican governor announced Tuesday that schools won’t get any cash from a $163 million pot of federal virus relief funds he controls if they don’t drop mask rules within 10 days. Schools also will lose out on the $1,800 per student if they have to close because of COVID-10 outbreaks. At least 16 districts teaching nearly a third of the state’s public school students now have mask rules.