Florida school mask debate headed for appeals court battle

By CURT ANDERSON
AP Legal Affairs Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The battle over mask requirements in Florida schools is headed for a new legal phase following an appeal by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of a judge’s ruling that a blanket ban on mask mandates exceeds the state’s authority. The case heads next to the 15 judges on the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. The issue is whether the Parents Bill of Rights law means parents must decide if their child wears a mask or permits a school board to impose a broad mask requirement. A Leon County judge is being asked to immediately lift an automatic stay that effectively allows enforcement of the ban to continue.