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Last Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis took aim at several media outlets and individuals from within the State Attorney’s Office building in Tampa, alleging they are misrepresenting the state education department’s position on particular books in schools.
A video aired in the audience before Gov. Ron DeSantis mounted the stage depicting instances of books discovered in Florida school systems, including Hillsborough County.
Watch:
DeSantis said in his statement:
“Exposing the ‘book ban’ hoax is important because it reveals that some are attempting to use our schools for indoctrination,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “In Florida, pornographic and inappropriate materials that have been snuck into our classrooms and libraries to sexualize our students violate our state education standards. Florida is the education state and that means providing students with a quality education free from sexualization and harmful materials that are not age appropriate.”
The official statement from the Governor DeSantis’ office stated about the House Bill 7:
“Following the 2022 Legislative Session, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 7, to protect students from woke indoctrination in schools. The bill requires instruction, instructional materials, and professional development in public schools to adhere to principles of individual freedom including that no person is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive just by virtue of his or her race or sex and meritocracy or hard work ethic are not racist but fundamental to the right to pursue success.
HB 7 also expanded instruction of African American History to develop students’ understanding of the ramifications of prejudice and racism. Classroom instruction must educate students on what it means to be a respectful and responsible citizen and encourage tolerance of diversity to protect democratic principles that our country is founded on. Schools are required to teach factual information on topics including African American History and the Holocaust instead of subjective indoctrination that pushes collective guilt.
Governor DeSantis also signed HB 1557, Parental Rights in Education, which reinforced parents’ fundamental rights to make decisions regarding the upbringing of their children. The bill prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through 3rd grade and prohibits instruction that is not age appropriate for students. During the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session, the Governor is in support of legislation which would expand these restrictions through the 8th grade.
Additionally in 2022, the Governor signed HB 1467, which requires school districts to be transparent in the selection of instructional materials, including library and reading materials. As a part of the Year of the Parent, this legislation aims to preserve the rights of parents to make decisions about what materials their children are exposed to in school.”
The Florida Governor also shared via Twitter a video posted by Taryn Fenske, a member of his team. In the video, Fenske debunks the Mainstream Media & Democratic Party narratives about the book bans, showing explicit images that appear on the actual banned books. (Warning: Pornographic images are shown in this video that are not suitable for children).
Some Florida news stations reportedly stopped their feeds after Gov. Ron DeSantis aired this video at the press conference. WFLA investigative journalist Mahsa Saeidi reported on Twitter that the station’s live stream was pulled down after a warning saying sexually explicit video will be displayed, but it was also momentarily disrupted later due to a technical difficulty.
The statement also specifies the controversial claims made from political commentators, politicians and the mainstream media and debunks one by one:
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr also made a statement saying:
“Education is about the pursuit of truth, not woke indoctrination,”“Under Governor DeSantis, Florida is committed to rigorous academic content and high standards so that students learn how to think and receive the tools necessary to go forth and make great decisions.”
Independent Writer. Marketing and communications strategist for politicians, artists, public figures & corporate brands for more than 10 years. Contact: @alejandrosbasso (Twitter)
Escritor independiente. Consultor en marketing y comunicaciones de políticos, artistas, figuras públicas y marcas por más de 10 años. Contacto: @alejandrosbasso (Twitter)