DeSantis chides students for wearing masks

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Wednesday criticized a group of students who donned face masks while he was making a visit to the University of South Florida.

DeSantis had arrived at the school to discuss funding for a $20 million cybersecurity program. It was before he took the podium that he targeted the students who stood behind him wearing masks, according to WFLA, a local NBC News station.

“You do not have to wear those masks,” DeSantis reportedly said to the students. “I mean, please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve gotta stop with this COVID theater. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.”

The seven students DeSantis addressed reportedly attend Middleton High School, which is located in Tampa, Fla., and were invited to the press conference, Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Addison Davis confirmed to WFLA.

“We are excited our students from Middleton High School were highlighted as part of the statewide focus around cyber security education,” Davis told the news outlet. “Our cybersecurity pathway at MHS has had tremendous success through students earning industry certifications, participating in internships and leading the way in computer systems and information technology. As always, our students should be valued and celebrated. It is a student and parents’ choice to protect their health in a way they feel most appropriate. We are proud of the manner in which our students represented themselves and our school district.”

DeSantis has previously made an effort to end mask mandates in Florida schools and has threatened to withhold funding from school districts that implement them.

Last month, he advocated for parents to have the ability to sue school districts if their child “was illegally force-masked this year in Florida,” WFLA reported.