Gov. Ron DeSantis called out Middleton High School students for wearing masks at a USF Tampa conference discussing cybersecurity advancements.
Courtesy of USF
By Sophia George
During a press conference at the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus last Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis scolded students for wearing face masks –– immediately sparking backlash on social media and news outlets across the nation.
DeSantis attended the meeting to introduce a $20 million grant from the Florida Department of Education to Cyber Florida, which would help foster more careers in cybersecurity and information technology, according to a press release.
Students from Middleton High School (MHS) in Tampa were in attendance to represent their school and its successful advancements in cybersecurity education.
Moments before DeSantis took to the podium to address the audience, he turned around and reprimanded the students, who stood behind him on stage, for wearing masks.
“You do not have to wear those masks. I mean, please take them off,” DeSantis said. “Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve got to stop with this COVID theater. So, if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.”
A day prior to the conference, DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) tweeted, “Florida businesses need to stop relying on outdated CDC forced masking of worker requirements… A 9 to 5 job should not be a N-95 job.”
Hillsborough Schools Superintendent Addison Davis penned a statement on the incident –– defending the district and the students.
“We are excited our students from Middleton High School were highlighted as part of the statewide focus around cybersecurity education,” Davis said. “Our Cybersecurity pathway at MHS has had tremendous success through students earning industry certifications, participating in internships and leading the way in computer systems and information technology.”
“As always, our students should be valued and celebrated. It is a student and parent’s choice to protect their health in a way they feel most appropriate. We are proud of the manner in which our students represented themselves and our school district.”
While there is no active mask mandate for Hillsborough County, the COVID-19 transmission level remains high for the area, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Parents, students and community leaders from across Florida voiced their frustration and concerns regarding DeSantis’ actions –– with many labeling it as “bullying.”
Former congresswoman from Florida’s 26th Congressional District, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, addressed the incident on her Twitter (@DebbieforFL) later that day.
“@GovRonDeSantis is taking away Floridian’s freedoms in the classroom, in business, in a Dr’s office, in local government… Today he took away students’ freedom of choice at USF,” Mucarsel-Powell said in a tweet.
Despite the backlash, many hopped onto social media to back DeSantis –– a poll tweeted by WFLA (@WFLA) last Thursday asking for the community’s feedback on the incident illustrated that 91.5% of participants believe he was not in the wrong.
With USF’s logo in the video, which has been widely circulated across the internet, USF students commented on the incident and how they think this will reflect on the institution.
“If the masks are ‘not doing anything,’ then why is [DeSantis] so bothered by a group of high schoolers wearing them when it has no effect on how he lives his life, besides the possibility of lowering his chance of contracting COVID-19,” freshman biology major Vi Gallagher told The Crow’s Nest. “Hopefully, people realize that although he made his speech there that it does not reflect on USF.”
Junior mass communications major Faith Tinsley thinks DeSantis could have approached the situation in a different way.
“At first glance, I was very upset with how he approached that situation. He had a super condescending tone and really put those students on the spot,” Tinsley said. “I don’t think it paints a bad picture of USF honestly, the students were being respectful and wearing their masks. He was the one making it awkward and kind of bullying them into taking them off.”
The next day, DeSantis took to his personal Twitter (@RonDesantisFL) to address the public’s response and to defend his actions –– posting a compilation video that calls out other politicians and officials for being “hypocritical” and proves he won’t concede to critics.
He captioned the video, “The political science show cannot go on. Its curtain call for COVID-19 theater.”
