Florida’s notoriously anti-mask Republican Governor Ron DeSantis was caught on camera chastising a group of students who wore masks onstage right before he began his public remarks on Wednesday.
DeSantis had arrived at the University of South Florida to announce the approval of $20 million in funding for cybersecurity education and jobs training. Seven students from Middleton High School in Tampa stood behind DeSantis’ lectern onstage. Most of the students wore masks.
As DeSantis stepped onstage to deliver his remarks, he turned to the students and said, “You do not have to wear those masks. I mean, please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve gotta stop with this COVID theater. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.”
DeSantis then sighed and shook his head as he prepared to begin speaking. Most of the students behind him removed their masks before…
