Judge makes ruling official: Florida can't ban school mask mandates

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The judge who ruled last week that the state's ban on school mask mandates is unconstitutional has now put it in writing.

Judge John Cooper just finalized his decision, making it official.

Friday, he ruled that the state cannot ban school districts from requiring masks, and that penalizing them for doing so is against the law.

The state, however, continued to fine districts, saying the ruling wasn't official until the judge put it in writing and signed it. Today, he did.

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As of Thursday, 13 school districts, representing more than half of the state’s students, have moved forward with student mask mandates that allow exceptions only when parents present doctors’ notes. Those districts are Alachua, Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Orange, Hillsborough, Duval, Leon, Brevard, Indian River, Sarasota, Lee and Volusia.

The state says it will appeal.

PDF: Read the judge's full decision