8 Florida school districts refuse to reverse mask mandates
Eight school districts in Florida told the state's education commissioner that they would not reverse their mask requirements for students, clearing the way for the state to retaliate by withholding the salaries of school board members.
The eight districts -- Duval, Hillsborough, Indian River, Leon, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach and Sarasota -- each wrote a letter to Commissioner Richard Corcoran Wednesday saying they believed they were following state law and had no plans to stop requiring face coverings for students.
![PHOTO: American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten speaks with students at the New River Middle School, Sept. 2, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/student-fl-01-ap-iwb-210902_1630612456964_hpMain.jpg)
Corcoran had given each district until 5 p.m. Wednesday to reverse their mandates, threatening to recommend to the state education board that it withhold the salaries of board members if they did not change course.
The state education department announced Monday it would take such action against board members in Alachua and Broward counties over their school mask mandates.
On Friday, a Florida judge ruled that school boards can enact student mask mandates and ordered the state education department to stop enforcing a state rule requiring districts to allow parents to opt-out.
-ABC News' Will McDuffie