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Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The school district for Florida's Leon County, which includes Tallahassee, has dropped the "individual freedoms" option for parents of K-Grade 8 students to opt-op of its mask mandate, citing rising COVID-19 infections during the first week of school. Superintendent Rocky Hanna made the announcement via Facebook on Sunday, stating a medical exemption will still be allowed.
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Schools in the county opened a week ago, and in that time span more than 245 positive cases, nearly one-third of all cases reported in the district last year, were reported, he said, adding that between Tuesday and Friday they averaged around 45 cases a day among staff and students compared to the single daily record of 19 of last year.
On Friday, more than 900 students were also in quarantine, he said.
"The numbers speak for themselves," he said. "It's time to make a change.
The goal, he said, is to keep schools open but if the pandemic continues to surge as it did during the first week of classes, they may be given little other choice.
"If we continue down this path I'm afraid we may have to look at other options," he said. "And the last thing we want to do is close our schools."
The temporary mask mandate will be in effect from Monday.
The reasoning, he said, is because those in K-Grade 8 were too young to receive the vaccine.
Parents who wish to opt their children out for medical reasons have until Friday to submit a doctor's note.
"Look, I don't believe that masks are necessarily the end-all, be-all but we know they make a difference," he said, encouraging those who can get vaccinated to do so. "But these masks do make a difference."
The announcement was made amid a fight between school districts seeking to enforce mask mandates amid a surge in cases among students and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis who issued an executive order prohibiting masks requirements in schools on the grounds that they strip parents of their rights to decide what's best for their children.
As more counties have announced mask mandates, DeSantis has threatened the pay of officials.
Hanna said during his press conference Sunday that a week before schools were to open he asked for flexibility to temporary enforce a mask mandate for those ages 5-11, but he never heard back from the governor.
On Aug. 9, two days before schools were to open, he announced the mask mandate, which the governor's office responded to with a "harsh and very threatening letter," stating the county was in violation of state law and that Hanna would face the maximum penalties permitted.
The superintendent on Sunday asked DeSantis to relinquish control over mask mandates back to local school districts so they can "do what's best for the children in our community."
"Governor, just as you fight to protect the sovereignty of the state of Florida, we are simply asking for you to have that same consideration for us," he said. "Leaders should never allow pride or politics to cloud their judgment. It is never too late to do the right thing."
"I am aware that I am the first elected school superintendent to take such action. I am also aware, fully aware, of the consequences I may suffer," he said. "Governor, I do have an obligation to uphold the laws of the state of Florida. I have a greater obligation, however, to protect for the health, safety and welfare of the children in Tallahassee and Leon County."
In a statement to WCTV, Cristina Pushaw, DeSantis' spokeswoman, said Hanna's decision to violate the law was "disappointing."
"Gov. DeSantis stands for parents' rights, makes data-driven decisions and follows the science," she said.
Hanna announced the mandate days after the Florida Board of Education on Friday ordered two school district in Alachua and Broward counties to drop their mask requirements or lose state funding.
