DeSantis Facing Backlash For Praising 2 Controversial Education Bills

Tallahassee, FL – The 2022 Legislative Session is over and in its wake comes controversy over Governor Ron DeSantis’ praise of two hotly contested education bills. At the close of the session, lawmakers had moved those two bills to his desk where they await his signature or veto—but some aren’t putting any faith in the latter option. The bills are HB 1557, the Parental Rights in Education bill (known to opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), and HB 7/SB 148, the Individual Freedom plan. DeSantis spoke to reporters on Monday (March 14) just after legislators approved the largest budget in state history—coming in at a whopping $112.1 billion—and addressed both bills, starting with the bill that’s catching flak from the LGBTQ+ community and related advocacy groups. HB 1557 came under fire from opponents who claimed the legislation specifically targeted the LGBTQ+ community and gender identity. Supporters argued that the bill gives parents more control over what their children learn, while opponents argue that the topics the bill is excluding were never part of the state’s curriculum to begin with, and it threatens LGBTQ+ acceptance in schools. Additionally, the bill only excludes those topics from grades K-3, but some fear it could pave the way for similar legislation targeting LGBTQ+ issues. “We also provided curriculum transparency so parents have an understanding of what’s going on inside the classroom,” said DeSantis. “As the parent of three kids that are age five and under, thank you for letting me and my wife be able to send our kids to kindergarten without them being sexualized.” DeSantis went on to speak about the state’s new transparency provisions that will prevent people from being treated differently on the basis of their race. The provisions in mind belong to the Individual Freedom bill that doesn’t explicitly target critical race theory.  It does, however, ban teachers and employers from saying people are inherently racist, sexist or oppressive because of their race, color, sex or national origin. The measure also keeps teachers from making students feel guilty or responsible for historical events, such as slavery, because of their race. Many opponents to the bill claimed the legislation is vague and discusses issues that have not been a problem in Florida, leading to a further divide. Others feel that the bill is a way to suppress history. Supporters for the bill argue that it instead keeps teachers from instilling their own opinions and keeps students focused on the curriculum. As DeSantis continued to tout Florida’s push for education over “indoctrination,” a protester began to shout over him “stop funding corporations, start funding our communities.” It’s unclear who the protester was, and it’s unknown if they were arrested or removed from the area. Both bills have yet to be signed.