Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill April 6 that will make it easier for people like White to see their loved ones in health care facilities. Before Florida, at least eight states had passed similar laws, and several others have bills under consideration.
Rights & Liberties
Some Republicans Re-Normalize Racism
For much of our recent history, racist and bigoted viewpoints were confined to secret conferences, white supremacist communications, obscure far-right radio programs and the darkest, racially sordid corners of the web. No longer.
More than 1,500 Books Have Been Banned in Public Schools. House Panel Asks Why.
From July 2021 to the end of March this year more than 1,500 books were banned in 86 school districts in 26 states. A report on book-banning in public schools found that of the banned books, 467 — or 41 percent — contained main or secondary characters of color; 247, or 22 percent, addressed racism; and 379, or 33 percent, of the books contained LGBTQ+ themes.
Borrowing Page from Trump, DeSantis Attacks Judge Who Doesn’t Rule His Way, Drawing Rebukes
Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative Republican leaders unloaded at U.S. District Judge Mark Walker after he struck down key portions of last year’s voter suppression law. James Gustafson Jr., president of the Tallahassee chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), wrote an opinion piece defending Walker against the attacks.
U.S. Senate Confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson, ‘America at Its Best,’ to Supreme Court
Ketanji Brown Jackson will make history by becoming the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, after Democratic and Republican senators voted Thursday to confirm her to the lifetime appointment. The 53-47 vote comes just six weeks after President Joe Biden announced his nomination.
Pride Flag Flies in Flagler Beach Rally in Protest of Florida’s Latest Charge Against LGBTQ Rights
Eryn Harris, a Palm Coast student cinematographer and editor, last week organized a rally in Flagler Beach in support of civil rights and the LGBTQ+ community and produced an Op-Art photo essay about the event.
DeSantis on Defensive After New York City Mayor Launches Campaign Against Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
Adams, a Democrat, invited Floridians to move to New York if they are in opposition to the recently signed legislation that critics say threatens LGBTQ people by prohibiting discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation in public school classrooms.
College and University Faculty Across Florida Tell Their Students: Ignore ‘Viewpoint Diversity’ Survey
In a Monday letter to its members by email, the United Faculty of Florida claims that the survey is unconstitutional; that many of the questions are “leading in nature,” and the survey itself poses a threat to higher education campuses by potentially chilling speech on campus.
Judge Again Rules Against Muezzin-Like Prayer Before High School Game, But Decision May Have Short Life
In a long-running legal battle, a federal judge has rejected arguments that the Florida High School Athletic Association improperly prevented Christian schools from offering a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a 2015 state championship football game. But the decision may have a short life depending on a U.S. Supreme Court’s decision by the end of June on a a somewhat similar case.
First Amendment at Center of Lawsuit Against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
A pivotal lawsuit in Florida — related to classroom instruction of sexual identity and gender orientation — could have heavy implications for what the discussions will sound like when it comes to free speech and the First Amendment.