“Governor Ron Desantis Barked at Florida Students for Having the Gall to Wear a Mask Near Him During a Pandemic.”
Governor DeSantis moments after harassing the school children behind him for choosing to wear a mask.
Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis berated a group of high school students in full view of cameras for choosing to wear masks, calling their decision “COVID theater.” Although DeSantis has repeatedly said it’s up to individuals and their parents to decide whether or not masks are appropriate, he chose to mock and belittle a group of children because they were ruining his photo-op.
Ron DeSantis’ approach to COVID-19 has prolonged the pandemic, whether it’s been spreading misinformation and lies about vaccinations, promoting treatments that don’t work, or punishing schools for setting their own rules around masks. Florida is currently averaging 185 COVID-19 deaths per day, one of the highest rates in the country, and the event was held in a part of Florida where the CDC still recommends masking. It’s no wonder some students wanted to keep their masks on in the presence of someone in as much denial about COVID-19 as Ron DeSantis.
The outcry to this latest display was swift and deserved. Below are just some of the reactions to DeSantis’ embarrassing temper tantrum:
WFLA: ‘Stop Bullying Kids’: Students, Parents Respond To Gov. DeSantis Telling Students To Take Off Their Masks. “Dawn Marshall told News Channel 8 she is very upset about how the governor spoke to her son and the other students, adding she had told him to wear a mask in school. ‘It’s just shocking that the governor told these kids take off your mask,’ she said. ‘He pretty much said take off your mask, it’s stupid, and take off your mask your parents don’t matter’…Freshman Kevin Brown Jr. decided to keep his mask on even after someone pulled away from standing behind the governor. ‘I was thinking I don’t know if I should take it off or leave it on cause its the governor,’ Brown said. ‘He asked us to take it off but I thought about it and it’s my right to have my mask on.’” [WFLA, 3/2/22]
Orlando Weekly: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Tells Students To Take Off ‘Ridiculous’ Face Masks At Tampa Press Conference. “During a press conference announcing funding for a cybersecurity education program in Tampa on Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis scolded students standing on stage for wearing face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.” [Orlando Weekly, 3/2/22]
KNWA: ‘This Is Ridiculous’: Florida Governor Scolds Students For Wearing Face Masks. “Gov. Ron DeSantis made his frustration with face masks known at a press conference Wednesday morning…Before taking the podium to address the audience, the governor scolded a group of high school students behind him who were wearing face masks.” [KNWA, 3/2/22]
Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Calling It ‘COVID theater’ DeSantis Asks High School Students To Remove Masks At Event. “Irked by the sight of high school students wearing masks at his press conference Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis encouraged them to remove the facial coverings, calling their use ‘COVID theater’…The Hillsborough County School District said the students were from Middleton High School. ‘As always, our students should be valued and celebrated,’ Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Addison Davis said in a statement. ‘It is a student and parents’ choice to protect their health in a way they feel most appropriate.’” [Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 3/2/22]
FOX 13: Gov. Desantis Tells Masked Students At Tampa Press Conference, ‘Please Take Those Off’. “A handful of students from Middleton High School were in attendance for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ announcement. Before he was set to reveal a cybersecurity training initiative at the University of South Florida, he told them: ‘You do not have to wear those masks. Please take those off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything.’ Several of the students obliged, but at least two kept their face coverings on throughout the press conference….DeSantis has been against lockdown methods seen among other states in the country, as well as championed a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” that became law following the 2021 legislative session.” [FOX 13, 3/2/22]
Miami Herald: Florida Gov. DeSantis Tells High School Students To Remove ‘Ridiculous’ COVID Masks. “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told high school students to take off their masks and that ‘we gotta stop with this COVID theater.’” [Miami Herald, 3/2/22]
Washington Post: Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis Upbraids Students For Wearing Masks, Calling It ‘Covid Theater’. “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) admonished a group of high school students Wednesday for wearing face masks around him, calling it “covid theater” and telling them to remove the face coverings, despite the event being held in a part of Florida where the CDC still recommends indoor masking.” [Washington Post, 3/2/22]
POLITICO: DeSantis Called A ‘Bully’ After He Scolds Students For Wearing Masks. “Democrats labeled Gov. Ron DeSantis a ‘bully’ after video surfaced of him curtly asking a group of students to take off their masks before a press conference in Tampa…Some of the students, visiting from a local Hillsborough County high school, took off their masks at the governor’s urging while others opted to keep them on their faces. [Press secretary Christina] Pushaw wrote, [the comments] were intended to ensure that Floridians, and ‘especially young people, many of whom have been unduly pressured and coerced by schools and employers to wear masks — are informed about the lack of evidence for masks.’” [POLITICO, 3/2/22]
Bloomberg: ‘Please Take Them Off’: Florida’s DeSantis Scolds Masked Students. “Florida Governor Ron DeSantis chided masked students Wednesday at a press conference he called to announce cybersecurity investments at the University of South Florida in Tampa. ‘You do not have to wear those masks, I mean, please take them off,’ DeSantis said as he approached the lectern, according to a video published on Twitter by WFLA News. ‘Honestly, it’s not doing anything, and we gotta stop with this Covid theater. So if you want to wear it, fine. But this is ridiculous.’ Several students removed their masks, while others wore them anyway.” [Bloomberg, 3/22/22]
Associated Press: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Admonishes Students For Wearing Face Masks. “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a fierce opponent of coronavirus mask and vaccine mandates, grew visibly annoyed and admonished a group of students for wearing face masks at a news conference Wednesday.” [Associated Press, 3/2/22]
CNN: Ron DeSantis Just Yelled At High School Students For Wearing Masks. “Ron DeSantis is apparently not above scolding high school students to make his, uh, point about Covid-19. The Florida Republican governor approached a group of students wearing masks who were standing behind a podium at the University of South Florida, where he was scheduled for a news conference Wednesday. ‘You do not have to wear those masks. I mean please take them off,’ DeSantis said to, at first, polite laughter. But he wasn’t kidding around. ‘Honestly, it’s not doing anything. We’ve gotta stop with this Covid theater. So if you want to wear it, fine. But this is ridiculous,’ he continued. He then sighed dramatically and began delivering his remarks.” [CNN, 3/2/22]
CBS: “This Is Ridiculous:” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Asks Students To Take Face Masks Off At Press Conference. “Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday asked a group of students attending a press conference to remove their face masks. The governor, who has strongly opposed face mask mandates in schools throughout the pandemic, said their mask-wearing is ‘COVID theater.’” [CBS, 3/2/22]
NBC: DeSantis Asks Students To Remove Masks And ‘Stop With This Covid Theater’. “DeSantis, a Republican who has been a vocal critic of masks and vaccination mandates throughout the coronavirus pandemic, scolded students who were standing behind a lectern at the University of South Florida in Tampa…A visibly annoyed DeSantis then began his official remarks about cybersecurity.” [NBC, 3/2/22]
The Hill: DeSantis Chides Students For Wearing Masks. “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Wednesday criticized a group of students who donned face masks while he was making a visit to the University of South Florida…It was before he took the podium that he targeted the students who stood behind him wearing masks…” [The Hill, 3/2/22]
Independent: ‘This Is Ridiculous’: DeSantis Caught On Camera Berating Teens For Wearing Masks. “Florida governor Ron DeSantis was caught on camera berating teenagers in his state for wearing masks. The Republican politician scolded students at Tampa’s University of South Florida when they appeared behind him at a press conference wearing the face coverings.” [Independent, 3/2/22]
Esquire: Is This What Presidential Timber Looks Like These Days? “What kind of politician—Hell, what kind of human being?—harangues children over this piddling matter, especially with the cameras rolling? And, not for nothing, my guess is that at least a couple of kids were wearing masks because their parents told them to do so. Whatever happened to ‘Let the Parents Decide’?” [Esquire, 3/2/22]
Rolling Stone: ‘Stop With This Covid Theater’: Ron DeSantis Lashes Out At Students Wearing Masks. “Governor Ron DeSantis barked at Florida students for having the gall to wear a mask near him during a pandemic…DeSantis clearly did not seem to have much respect for the students who decided to wear masks. He didn’t acknowledge them when he left the podium.” [Rolling Stone, 3/2/22]
Forbes: Florida Governor DeSantis Scolds Students For Wearing Face Masks To Prevent Covid-19. “As a reminder, DeSantis is not a scientist or a medical doctor. Neither is Pushaw, who according to Donovan, reiterated DeSantis’s claim that ‘there’s ‘no evidence’ masks make any difference.’ There’s no evidence except for the fact that is evidence. And not just evidence, but a considerable amount of scientific evidence that face mask wearing may indeed reduce the transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2…” [Forbes, 3/3/22]
Vanity Fair: Ron DeSantis, Smug Asshole, Takes Time Out Of His Day To Yell At Students For Wearing Masks. “Appearing at a press conference at the University of South Florida on Wednesday, Ron DeSantis scolded a bunch of students behind him for wearing masks…Many of the kids took the masks off, probably not because they actually felt comfortable doing so but because the most powerful person in the state had just basically told them he’d be pissed if they didn’t. Three kept them on and should probably be given some kind of award for standing up to a jackass.” [Vanity Fair, 3/2/22]
Yahoo News: ‘Please Take Them Off’: Desantis Scolds Students For Wearing Face Masks. “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of the nation’s most prominent opponents of coronavirus restrictions, lashed out at a group of students attending a cybersecurity event for wearing face coverings on Wednesday. ‘You do not have to wear those masks,’ DeSantis said as he approached the students, who were to stand behind the podium at which he was to deliver his remarks. ‘I mean, please take them off,’ he told them directly, finger pointed.” [Yahoo News, 3/2/22]