Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed bills that include seeking to prevent “indoctrination” in teacher-training programs and beginning to allow credit unions to hold state money.
The teacher-training bill (HB 1291) was one of the most-controversial education issues of this year’s legislative session, which ended March 8. It seeks to prevent “identity politics” from being included in teacher-preparation programs at colleges and universities.
DeSantis said the measure, which will take effect July 1, “prohibits the indoctrination” of prospective teachers.
“The Legislature on this looked at it and said, ‘We don’t want these teacher-preparation programs to become captive to some political agenda,’” DeSantis said during a bill-signing event at the VyStar Tower in Jacksonville.
Earlier, DeSantis posted on the X social-media platform that the legislation will protect “Floridians from the Agenda of the Global Elites.”
But the Southern Poverty Law Center issued a statement Thursday criticizing the bill, describing it as an “effort to silence educational programs that teach empathy and respect for all.”
“There is no greater threat to our democracy than efforts to scare Floridians out of exercising their right to free speech and to have open and honest discussions about the role racism and oppression played in the history of our country,” Sam Boyd, senior supervising attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in the statement. “Courts have already ruled that laws like these, which seek to impose censorship on higher education, are unconstitutional. This law is no different.”
Under the bill, teacher-preparation programs cannot “distort significant historical events or include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics.” The bill includes ties to a 2022 law that restricts the way various race-related concepts can be taught in schools —a law that DeSantis dubbed the “Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees”, or Stop WOKE Act.
This year’s measure seeks to prevent teacher-preparation programs from being “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
The bill also will apply to programs that prepare school leaders such as principals for their roles.
During legislative debates, supporters and opponents disagreed about whether the bill was designed to keep indoctrination out of classrooms or to prevent educators from teaching accurate history.
“HB 1291 will infringe upon freedom of speech and continue to keep Floridians uneducated and keep them from having honest discussions about our country’s past,” Kara Gross, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said in a statement March 6, the day the bill received final passage. “This is a blatant effort by certain lawmakers to limit discussions and censor viewpoints that they do not agree with.”
DeSantis on Thursday also signed a bill (HB 989) that included priorities of state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, including allowing state funds to be deposited in credit unions. In the past, only banks have been eligible.
Credit unions and banks have waged lobbying battles in recent years about the issue, which involves being designated as what is known as a qualified public depository. The House voted 49-45 on the next-to-last day of the legislative session to approve an amendment allowing credit unions to receive deposits. The Senate gave final approval to the bill on the last day of the session.
The bill also seeks to prevent financial institutions from discriminating in providing services based on such things as customers’ political opinions or speech. The measure also will allow Patronis to hire a “tax liaison” to handle calls by Floridians involving the federal Internal Revenue Service.
–Jim Turner, Ryan Dailey, News Service of Florida
JOE D says
As the ex-husband of a Masters prepared CERTIFIED Special Education INCLUSION teacher, and the father of a Certified Elementary teacher…I am APPALLED at this new legislation.
Imagine a FLORIDA educated teacher (under this new legislation), being considered as a COMPETENT educator by ANY non-Florida school system for employment (if they can even PASS NATIONAL CERTIFICATION exams) having NEVER been taught historical events about educational /racial/cultural/ religious discrimination throughout US and global history. Imagine Florida education majors, not being exposed to teaching gender “questioning” students, not being taught about how to address gay or transgender students having been bullied or discriminated against.
If I was a Florida education major (new or current), I would RUN, not WALK to the nearest College transfer office to explore enrollment in an out of state College Educational program.
Florida ALREADY doesn’t have the best reputation among other states for adequately prepared Teaching graduates, due to YEARS of poor financial investment in Florida State Colleges by the Florida Legislature.
As a PARENT, I would also consider whether I wanted my student to receive a “blunted” and restrictive education preparation for the amount of time money or loans my child was investing.
How sad, that young and DEDICATED future educators are considered too STUPID or NIAVE to be exposed to multiple (potentially conflicting or radical) educational thoughts/theories, and decide for THEMSELVES (as fully ADULT students), what they want to believe (or not).
Of course a FREE thinking /educated/ well informed /questioning/ public is the exact OPPOSITE of what our current Governor and his legislative puppets want. They would rather an uninformed /uneducated public that believes WHATEVER political drivel they spout WITHOUT QUESTIONING IT…how sad…and how DANGEROUS…
Deborah Coffey says
Thank you from a retired high school teacher, Masters certified. There is no part of our lives, and no part of truth, that Ron DeSantis and the White Christian Nationalists will not try to control or twist for their own advantage. The problem is, they’re winning…at the moment. We can’t lose hope, though, because we need a much better country for our children and grandchildren. Without truth, compassion, tolerance, critical thinking, and real freedom, we can’t have a country worth living in.
Ray W. says
I am partial to the passage by an Oklahoma City journalist, Sam Anderson:
“Oklahoma’s ultraconservative government, after years of aggressive tax cuts, even during boom years, had bankrupted the state. Social services, mental health programs, public transportation, and infrastructure were all in various stages of collapse. The public education budget was stripped so bare that teachers started flooding out to neighboring states in search of living wages, forcing Oklahoma to patch the gaps by issuing hundreds of emergency teaching licenses and even cutting back some schools to four days a week. It was a radical experiment in anti-government governance, and it was failing miserably. In 2014, Oklahoma botched an execution so badly enough to horrify the entire world. The state was becoming what it used to be: a nowhere place that occasionally erupted with very bad news, a king of grim American joke.”
Deirdre says
This guy is something else, whatever it takes to silence people and contain the truth.
The good news is we can drink 4 gallons of wine in a jug, while we illegally discuss historical truths, women’s rights, and which books won’t remain on library shelves.
joe says
““based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
Or, as some might say – History.
I say that because it was in college in the 70’s that I learned that the fairy tale version of history I learned was not all there was…the Industrial Revolution was not greeted with open arms and workers sometimes faced violence from their employers and the police they bought.
R.S. says
Well, my mind is made up: this miseducated, suppressive, controlling, and forever moping person who’s setting himself up as Trump-light in Tallahassee has got to go. He clearly tries to change the marketplace of ideas into the monopoly of white supremacy. Disgusting to see him in action.
Laurel says
“…social-media platform that the legislation will protect “Floridians from the Agenda of the Global Elites.”” Okay, I used to think DeSantis was just a manipulative jerk. Now, I’m starting to think he’s not all there.
Jerks usually stay jerks. If he’s mentally ill, there is hope of cure, but he should not be in the position of Governor either way.
c says
‘“The Legislature on this looked at it and said, ‘We don’t want these teacher-preparation programs to become captive to some political agenda,’” DeSantis said ‘ …
Soooo, we’re gonna lock them up in OUR political Agenda, first.
Yanno .. pre-emptive strike.
Also –
‘Earlier, DeSantis posted on the X social-media platform that the legislation will protect “Floridians from the Agenda of the Global Elites.”’
DeSanctimonious seems to have a hard-on for the ‘Global Elites’ .. This isn’t the only bill signed to protect us from them as They are also forcing their ‘un-natural, lab-grown’ foods on us – But No Longer, thanks to the DeSantis sanitizing team :
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68947766
‘Ron DeSantis bans ‘global elite’ lab-grown meat’
p.s. Notice that Uncle Ronnie made the BBC World News.
I still gotta go with Bugs Bunny … What a Maroon!
Marlee says
What Deirdre says!
Bartholomew says
Teachers
Big brother is watching you,!
Atwp says
I’ve heard Florida has a teacher shortage. With this bill the shortage will get worse, or I hope so. Immigrants are leaving the State in groves. These crazy laws are creating shortages that will be hard if not impossible to fill. The abortion situation, this Governor has signed some crazy bills. Hopefully Florida will start losing more people than people coming to the state. Perhaps these crazy bills will motivate more Democratics to the polls. We will see what happens.
c says
@Atwp:
Sorry, Pierre et al. , to reference a ‘competing’ newsource, but you might be interested in this :
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/05/02/teacher-shortage-veterans-say-no-maxwell/
Another of Ronnie’s bright ideas goes ‘pop’ when it hits reality.
Sherry says
desantis= My Fascist Indoctrination “trumps” Factual Indoctrination!