1st Florida school district gets US cash for virus mask vote

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida school district has received cash from President Joe Biden’s administration to make up for state pay cuts imposed over a board’s vote for a student anti-coronavirus mask mandate. Alachua County school Superintendent Carlee Simon said Thursday the district has received $148,000 through a U.S. Department of Education program. Simon says Alachua, where Gainesville and the University of Florida are located, is the first district in the nation to receive such a grant. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state education officials have begun cutting salaries for Florida school board members who voted to require masks for students. DeSantis favors allowing parents to decide.