VIDEO: Commissioner Nikki Fried Calls on Feds to Block DeSantis Administration’s Defunding of Florida Schools

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wrote to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona calling on the U.S. Department of Education to take all necessary action to block the State of Florida from defunding local school districts, a call she made earlier today at a press conference at the Florida Capitol where she condemned the Florida Department of Education’s decision to financially sanction eight school districts with mask requirements and additional actions by the DeSantis Administration that undermine school funding and student safety.  Ahead of yesterday’s Florida Department of Education meeting, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to the State warning that their decision to withhold money from school districts that require masks could be illegal and in violation of federal law.

“As your department noted yesterday, new DeSantis Administration efforts to further threaten school districts by “withholding state funds in an amount equal to any federal grant funds” may be illegal under section 8522 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Defunding schools over political and policy differences should never be acceptable,” Commissioner Fried wrote in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.

“I encourage you and the U.S. Department of Education to take all necessary action, including litigation if warranted, to block the State of Florida from further defunding local school districts and harming student health and wellbeing,” she continued.

For months, Commissioner Fried has worked to support Florida school board members who are being unfairly and illegally targeted by the DeSantis Administration for taking steps to protect teachers and children with temporary mask requirements.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

The Honorable Miguel Cardona
Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

October 8, 2021

Dear Secretary Cardona,

I write today to thank you, the U.S. Department of Education, and the President for your steadfast support of Florida’s schools throughout this unprecedented pandemic. I express this gratitude on behalf of millions of Florida students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and school board members rightfully concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and in our classrooms.

As you may know, Florida has suffered the most COVID-19 deaths per capita in the nation during this summer’s delta variant surge. Since June, more of our residents have died from this virus than any other U.S. state, a tragic and potentially preventable outcome of the disastrous COVID-19 approach pursued by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

This failed strategy has unfortunately extended to our schools. Instead of proactive leadership seeking to mitigate the virus in Florida’s schools, the Governor and his Education Commissioner have chosen to intimidate and punish brave school district leaders who have taken bold steps to protect children and teachers through temporary mask requirements. Please know that your and the President’s efforts to have the backs of our schools during this difficult time has been tremendously appreciated.

Masks have undoubtedly made a difference in schools. As the Florida Department of Health has refused to release public records on COVID-19 data, I directed my department to compile all publicly available school district COVID-19 data. The available data shows that school districts without mask requirements had nearly twice as many student COVID-19 cases as districts requiring masks.

As your department noted yesterday, new DeSantis Administration efforts to further threaten school districts by “withholding state funds in an amount equal to any federal grant funds” may be illegal under section 8522 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Defunding schools over political and policy differences should never be acceptable. This Governor’s reckless attempts to undermine student and teacher safety and defund our school districts cannot be tolerated by the people or by our government.

I encourage you and the U.S. Department of Education to take all necessary action, including litigation if warranted, to block the State of Florida from further defunding local school districts and harming student health and wellbeing.

Thank you for your support and consideration.

Sincerely,

Nicole Fried
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture

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