Florida Gov. DeSantis crusades against mask mandates in private roundtable Governor drafts anti-mask doctors for panel, stoking criticism of face covering policies Updated: CDC recommends masks in schools In a round table discussion Monday, which was not disclosed to the public ahead of time, Gov. Ron DeSantis met with a group of supporters to discuss, and heavily criticize, the idea of wearing face coverings in Florida schools. “I think our fear is that seeing some of those rumblings, that there be an attempt from the federal level or even some of these organizations to try to push for mandatory masking of school children,” DeSantis said. “It should not be mandated. I know our Legislature feels strongly about it, such that if you started to see a push from the feds or some of these local school districts, I know they’re interested in coming in, even in a special session to be able to provide protections for parents and kids who just want to breathe freely and don’t want to be suffering under these masks during the school year.”