Appeal from Ron DeSantis sets up new round of fights over Florida’s public school mask mandates

An appeal filed Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration put on hold a Leon County circuit judge’s ruling against the state in a battle over school mask mandates — but attorneys for a group of parents quickly requested that the ruling be allowed to take effect.

The legal moves came hours after Circuit Judge John Cooper issued a written judgment that said DeSantis overstepped his constitutional authority in a July 30 executive order that sought to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.…