News
By George Miller, 5-3-24
The Florida legislature passed CS/HB 1291 — Educator Preparation Programs, just signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. It was designed to combat some of the so-called “Woke” intrusions into public education, but was written so as to take a balanced approach to filter out inappropriate teachings of any ideology.
Bill Summary by Legislature
The bill modifies requirements for courses and instruction in initial teacher preparation programs, educator preparation institutes, professional learning certification programs, and school leader preparation programs to specify that such programs:
- May not distort significant historical events, teach identity politics, violate Florida law regarding discrimination, or base coursework or instruction on specified theories regarding social, political, and economic inequities.
- Must afford teacher candidates the opportunity to think critically, achieve mastery of academic content, learn instructional strategies, and demonstrate competence; and afford school leader candidates the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of program content, including instructional leadership strategies, coaching development, and continuous improvement efforts.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect July 1, 2024
Vote: Senate 28-12; House 81-31
Bill Impact
Locally and statewide, CS/HB 1291 would have the effect of further legally invalidating educational initiatives which promote ideologies, present unproven theories as established facts and illegally discriminate. It would also promote teacher critical thinking- as opposed to critical theories- and competence. It would seem that this new law could assist the current effort to challenge new Social Studies curriculum/books in the Nassau County School District which allegedly be in conflict with this.
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That bill signing coincided with several other strong ones designed to mitigate the efforts of major worldwide campaigns to influence society that the legislature and executive disagreed with and thought to be wrong to force on society. The DeSantis organization took the extraordinary step of releasing the graphic above to put them in context of their overall legislative thrust and rationale. This legislation is moving in the opposite direction of some of the “deep blue” states.
George Miller is Publisher and Co-Founder of Citizens Journal Florida, based in Fernandina Beach. He is a “retired” operations management consultant, software and publishing executive (10 years) and manufacturing management professional. He and his wife left California after 41 years.
