Once again Ron DeSantis is hiding the documents... DeSantis says he’s running. Where are the documents? The governor has released no financial disclosure, reported no campaign expenditures, nor established a campaign treasurer — all required for candidates for statewide office in Florida. https://www.tampabay.com/news/flori...tis-says-hes-running-where-are-the-documents/
Seems likely at this point Tsing Tao has someone in his life dealing with a bad case of Covid. Either that or he's finally figured out his whole ignorant act on Covid was so far off the mark he decided to stfu.
Not content merely to kill the kids with Covid -- DeSantis stops funding of public schools to keep the children stupid. Probably in hopes they may eventually vote for people like Trump and him. Florida teachers union president says DeSantis is 'extremely reckless' for turning down federal aid for schools https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment...rning-down-federal-aid-schools-072526311.html Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union in Broward County, Florida, the second largest school district in the state, appeared on Don Lemon Tonight Monday where she called out Governor Ron DeSantis for declining to apply for billions of dollars in funding for schools as part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. “He’s extremely reckless. It’s definitely politics. He’s a governor that’s come out real clearly that he’s planning on running in [2024] against Biden,” Fusco said. “So there’s some, you know, conversations that are happening. It’s just a way to say that ‘I’m just gonna keep pulling back and doing my own thing to show that I can take charge and have total power.’” Florida is the only state in the country that has not applied for the funding, and Fusco believes DeSantis is failing the students. “He’s just looking to defund public schools,” Fusco said. “When you’re not looking to come up with a plan, meet a deadline for the hundreds of thousands of students across the state of Florida that are in public schools, that need to have, you know, lots of resources and actual physical bodies in the schools to take care of our students, it says a lot. It’s just wrong.” (More at above url)
"DeSantis for the win" -- good luck if you want to see a concert in Florida. Many musicians refuse to play there unless the venue has a vaccine mandate. Floridians, remember to thank your governor for this. Nobody wants to play music in a venue that lets in plague rats. Concerts around Tampa Bay are getting canceled over COVID-19 demands https://www.tampabay.com/life-cultu...y-are-getting-canceled-over-covid-19-demands/
A continuation of the shameful behavior we have come to expect from the DeSantis administration... "Disgraceful": Florida faces questioning from Biden admin after failing to submit COVID funding plan The development comes amid an ever-growing rift between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Biden administration Florida was the only state that failed to submit a plan necessary to qualify for a federal aid program designed to buoy the state's public school system, according to the U.S. Department Education – and the department is struggling to ascertain why. "[The Florida Department of Education's] delay raises significant concerns because of the unnecessary uncertainty it is creating for school districts across the state and because it is hindering their ability to confidently plan for how to use these funds to address the needs of students," wrote Ian Rosenblum, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs for the U.S. Department of Education, in a Monday missive. The state's failure "to meet its responsibilities is delaying the release of essential … resources that are needed by school districts and schools to address the needs of students most impacted by the pandemic," Rosenblum added, noting that the state missed multiple timelines for the relief money. Back in March, as part of President Biden's American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER), Florida received two-thirds of its $7 billion federal aid package to support "students' health and safety and address their social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Rosenblum explained in his letter. But according to The Tallahassee Democrat, the federal government is still holding onto $2.3 billion of this package because the Sunshine State failed to submit plans detailing how the remainder would be spent. In addition, Department of Education records indicate that Florida has scarcely spent the federal funds it has already been distributed by the Biden administration. The state has reportedly spent 79% of its disbursement from the CARES Act, 15.6% of its allotment from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, and 4% of its ARP funds. No money has been directed to local school districts, according to federal officials, but parents, employees, and local officials have clearly expressed that Florida's public school system is in dire need of a lifeline, Rosenblum said in his letter. "There is a massive crisis with bus shortages and teacher shortages. It's clear that districts need the money," Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Educators Association, echoed to The Tallahassee Democrat. Meanwhile, the governor's office has casted doubt over the scope of the state's needs, telling CNN on Tuesday: "At this time, no district has articulated a need for funding that cannot be met with currently available resources. Whenever this may change in the future, the state of Florida will coordinate with USDOE to ensure Florida students and educators have all the resources they need." State Sen. Lori Berman, who sits on Florida's Education Committee, suggested that the state's failure to meet the federal relief is likely an "ideological statement." "It's disgraceful. I've seen this state repeatedly turn down federal money because of ideological reasons," Berman told Salon in an interview. "You have to look no further than the issue of Medicaid expansion. We are one of only twelve states in the country that has not expanded Medicaid, and it's billions of federal dollars that we continually refuse to draw down because of ideological reasons." State Sen. Tina Polsky, speculated that the state's failure to use and apply for federal aid stems from a pattern of "distrust and dislike of public schools." "I don't understand because 90% of Floridian students go to public school," Polsky told Salon in an interview. "As much as [Republicans] would like to change that to all voucher, all charter, or all anything but public, it's not going to happen. And they're not looking out for the 90%." The development is just the latest in an ever-widening rift between Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, CNN notes. Throughout this year, the governor has fought tooth-and-nail against Democratic-backed proposals to institute vaccine and mask mandates for both schools and businesses. Back in July, DeSantis issued an executive order banning the enforcement of mask mandates in schools, even though children under twelve are not eligible for vaccines. In August, Florida's Department of Education further revealed that it withheld money from school districts whose boards backed mask mandates. But Biden has started to push back on DeSantis' crusade. Last month, the U.S. Department of Education repaid members of school boards whose salaries were withheld by Florida's Department of Education. It has also opened a civil rights probe into whether the governor's ban on mask mandates violates the rights of students with disabilities.
And even more shameful behavior by the DeSantis administration... Every day the number of dead from Covid rise in Florida -- hitting historic peaks in September. Yet all DeSantis can think about is stripping money from people who are trying to keep children safe --- in a state with historically high pediatric ICU hospitalizations. Florida trying to block money Biden sent to school districts fined for mask mandates The commissioner of education said schools are breaking laws by requiring masks. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/flori...biden-school-districts-mask/story?id=80419199 Days after the Biden administration reimbursed two Florida school districts whose board members lost their salaries for mandating masks for students, the state's top education official is trying to strip the districts of the money. In a series of memoranda, Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran recommended Monday that the Florida Board of Education, which meets Thursday, withhold "state funds in an amount equal to any federal grant funds awarded" to districts that defy Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on school mask requirements. Corcoran said he found probable cause that 11 school districts, including Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, violated state laws by implementing a mask mandate. He also recommended that the Board withhold the salaries of the board members in each district, a punishment already handed down in late August to officials in Alachua and Broward counties. In response to that crackdown, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the Alachua and Broward districts hundreds of thousands of dollars to make up for the lost paychecks. The money was issued through the Project SAFE grant program, which was created last month to reimburse school districts that lose state money for implementing coronavirus mitigation strategies. The Florida Department of Education has not announced that it has begun withholding salaries from school board members in other districts requiring masks. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona indicated in August that districts punished by Florida for requiring masks for students would be eligible for grant money. "I want you to know that the U.S. Department of Education stands with you," he wrote in a letter to superintendents. The 11 districts that Corcoran said violated the law will be under the microscope Thursday, when the Board of Education meets to decide whether to implement the commissioner's recommendations and punish them. District officials in Alachua and Broward counties questioned the legality of blocking federal funding on Tuesday. MORE: Masking in classrooms decreases COVID outbreaks, additional research shows "We're always concerned when funds are withheld from public education, but we're particularly concerned about the state interfering with federal funding. This will almost certainly have to be settled in court," Dr. Carlee Simon, superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools, said in a statement to ABC News. Dr. Rosalind Osgood, chair of the school board in Broward County, called Corcoran's recommendations to the Board of Education "extremely displeasing" and said her district was complying with the law "and saving lives." "Our students and staff need academic support, mental health support and job security. The way that the Governor and Commissioner of Education have handled this issue has caused added trauma, unemployment and a major disruption in school board operations," Osgood said in a statement to ABC News.
"DeSantis for the win" -- Another one of his predictions turns to crap. Does this guy ever get tired of shoveling non-factual nonsense. DeSantis prediction of Florida monoclonal antibody shortage hasn’t come true Gov. Ron DeSantis predicted a “huge disruption” a month ago. But that doomsday scenario didn’t materialize. https://www.tampabay.com/news/flori...monoclonal-antibody-shortage-hasnt-come-true/
Of course we have copy-cat DeSantis who is trying to out-Abbott Gov Abbott by imposing similar stupidity... DeSantis Floats Florida Law Against Vaccine-Related Firings https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...orida-law-against-firing-workers-over-vaccine Florida governor speaks a day after Texas counterpart’s order Republican governors are resisting coronavirus requirements Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed a law to shield all workers from being fired for not getting Covid-19 vaccines, a day after Texas Governor Greg Abbott banned private companies from mandating the shots. Speaking Tuesday in St. Pete Beach, Florida, DeSantis said he would contest the federal government’s plan to mandate vaccines for large private-sector businesses. (More at above url)