While Governor DeSantis continues to oppose efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while hawking treatment for those already sick, Senate President Wilton Simpson talks up Texas-styled anti-reproductive rights legislation,(effectively a rapist bill of rights) in Florida, and Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran disobeys a court order, because he claims to know the law better than a Circuit Court Judge (or in Andrew Jackson-style feels a court is unable to enforce a ruling), Florida’s local elected officials are rolling up their sleeves and working to protect citizens.

Local officials willingness to buck the Governor’s anti-science and data policies as well as his short-term thinking regarding the economy has already saved lives and will continue to do so. The willingness of local officials to impose mask mandates during previous waves of the virus made all the difference and in fact was responsible for the Governor looking better than he ought to have outside this state.

In the past few weeks, the willingness of local school district officials to resist the bullying of DeSantis and Corcoran while letting science and the wishes of parents guide their actions regarding masking in schools has led to nine of the twelve largest school districts in Florida including red areas, Lee and Brevard Counties imposing mask requirements.

When the dust settles on this pandemic those who did the right thing despite the daunting intimidation from above and threats to their pay, political future and livelihoods will go down as those who saved Florida from a far greater catastrophe.