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☆ I live in Florida and was a conservative. When my kid came out as nonbinary, the way I parent changed.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Joann Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The day my child said that to me three years ago is the day my life as a parent changed. In the months preceding that day, Remy had shared they thought maybe they were bi-sexual or lesbian. My role as a parent changed when Remy came out as nonbinaryMy child was always original. JoAnn Chang's child Remy came out as nonbinary three years ago. Before Remy came out as nonbinary, I wouldn't have given these concerns a second thought.

Persons: Remy, I've, I'm, JoAnn Chang's, JoAnn Chang, we've, We've, Florida's Organizations: Florida Department Locations: Florida

☆ Scholastic says state book bans are causing an 'impossible dilemma' for its iconic book fairs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Scholastic's iconic school book fairs are facing an "almost impossible dilemma." There'll now be a separate section for books dealing with race and gender at elementary school fairs that schools can opt out of. AdvertisementAdvertisementChildren's book publisher Scholastic says that state efforts to ban literary works that discuss gender or race are causing an "almost impossible dilemma" for the iconic book fairs that it has hosted at elementary schools across the United States for decades. AdvertisementAdvertisementSchools in all 50 states have already opted to include the "Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice" collection in their book fairs, according to Sparkman. Meanwhile, PEN America — a nonprofit that advocates for free expression — urged Scholastic to explore other options instead of partitioning book titles.

Persons: There'll, —, it'll, Ketanji Brown Jackson, John Lewis, Anne Sparkman, Sparkman, Cailey Myers, Myers, PEN America —, We're Organizations: Service, Scholastic, Republican, Supreme, Fairs, Florida's Department of Education, Florida Department of Education, PEN America, PEN Locations: United States, Georgia, Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Top officials at a Florida school district ordered the removal of all books and material containing LBGTQ+ characters and themes from classrooms and campus libraries, saying that was needed to conform to a state law backed by Gov. The district later backed off a bit, allowing some exceptions for high school libraries. Political Cartoons View All 1185 ImagesThe school district did not respond to calls Wednesday from the AP seeking comment. But the group says Florida Department of Education officials are to blame for any district confusion or overreach. The school district issued a statement to Popular Information this week clarifying some of the superintendent and attorney's remarks, saying some material with LGBTQ+ themes or characters would still be available in high school libraries.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, “, Mark Vianello, Michael McKinley, ”, Read, McKinley Organizations: —, Gov, Charlotte, Florida Parental, Florida, Read, Associated Press, DeSantis, Republican, Walt Disney Co, Florida Department of Education, Vianello Locations: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla, Florida, Fort Myers, Sarasota

☆ Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to intensify into a dangerous Category 3 hurricane as it churns toward Florida’s Gulf Coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Nouran Salahieh Robert Shackelford Joe Sutton | Nouran Salahieh | Robert Shackelford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Idalia is expected to intensify into a hurricane Monday and make landfall on Wednesday morning near the Big Bend of Florida as a dangerous major hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. As the storm intensifies, “life-threatening storm surge and dangerous winds” are “becoming increasingly likely for portions of Florida,” the hurricane center said early Monday. “Idalia has been moving erratically and is nearly stationary,” the hurricane center added. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the Dry Tortugas beginning late Monday and along the Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday. The government of Cuba has upgraded the tropical storm warning for Pinar del Rio to a hurricane warning.

Persons: Idalia, Ron DeSantis, Floridians, “, ”, DeSantis Organizations: CNN, National Hurricane Center, Lower, Florida Gulf, Florida Division, Emergency Management, Pinar del, Florida Panhandle, Carolinas, Idalia Florida Gov, National Guardsmen, Patrol, Schools, Florida Department of Education, Hernando County Sunday, Facebook Locations: Florida, Bend, Cuba, Mexico, Coast, Englewood, India, Tampa, , Florida, Lower Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Pinar del Rio, Georgia, Tallahassee, Hillsborough County, Citrus County, Citrus, U.S, Hernando, Hernando County

☆ Kamala Harris allies are privately grumbling that Gavin Newsom's plan to debate Ron DeSantis is 'disrespectful' to the VP as they see the move as early jockeying for 2028, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Several Biden and Harris advisors have reservations about a potential Newsom-DeSantis debate, per NBC News. Some Democratic advisors think the debate could boost DeSantis' struggling presidential campaign. And some of Harris' allies think Newsom would use a debate to elevate himself ahead of 2028. And the frustration extends to allies of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to the news outlet. Biden campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz told NBC News that the campaign didn't have an issue with the debate.

Persons: Harris, Newsom, Gavin Newsom hasn't, Ron DeSantis, Joe Biden, DeSantis, Sean Hannity, Kamala Harris, Biden, Donald Trump's, That's, Kevin Munoz, Munoz Organizations: Biden, NBC, Service, Florida Gov, Democratic, Fox News, GOP, Golden State, DeSantis, Florida Department of Education, The Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, NBC News Locations: Wall, Silicon, California, Florida

☆ Opinion | Using Frederick Douglass to Rationalize Slavery? In Florida, Yes!
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Charles M. Blow | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last month, the Florida Department of Education announced that grade-school teachers could use videos produced by Dennis Prager’s PragerU Kids in their classrooms. PragerU is no more a university than Trump University was. In fine type at the bottom of its webpage, it admits that “PragerU is not an accredited university, nor do we claim to be. We don’t offer degrees, but we do provide educational, entertaining, pro-American videos for every age.”In reality, PragerU is little more than a propaganda media site. The Southern Poverty Law Center takes an even dimmer view of its credentials, saying, “PragerU seems to be yet another node on the internet connecting conservative media consumers to the dark corners of the extreme right.”

Persons: Ron DeSantis’s, Dennis Prager’s, “ PragerU, ” Organizations: Republican, Florida Department of Education, Trump University, Southern Poverty Law Center Locations: Florida

☆ Opinion: AP Psychology controversy exposes the lie behind Florida’s push for ‘parental rights’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Neil J. Young | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The College Board AP Psychology course contains such content.”“College Board requires educators to teach the entire curriculum for an AP course for college credit consideration,” it said, “therefore AP Psychology is no longer a potential course option for Florida students to receive college credit.”Other school districts in Florida made similar announcements. In the current fight over AP Psychology, the College Board has indicated it doesn’t plan to negotiate with Florida. That AP Psychology has even been caught in the crosshairs of the “Don’t Say Gay” law may surprise many Florida parents. In April, that plan became clearer when the Florida State Board of Education expanded its ban on instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity through the 12th grade. It was the fifth most popular AP course in the state in 2021.

Persons: Neil J, Young, “, ”, Margo K, hasn’t, it’s, Manny Diaz Jr, wokeism, “ It’s, Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Organizations: CNN, Florida Department of Education, College Board AP, “, College Board, AP, Florida Gov, Florida State, of Education, Twitter, Republican Locations: Orange County , Florida, Florida, Florida —

☆ A Florida teachers' union says DeSantis is using an 'extremist agenda' to 'censor' AP Psychology after the College Board said the course was 'effectively banned' through the state's 'Don't Say Gay' la
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The College Board said that its AP Psych course is "effectively banned" under Florida state law. A Florida law bans talk of sexuality and gender in school — key topics in AP Psych. Ron DeSantis' administration is using an "extremist agenda" to "censor" AP Psychology after the College Board said the course was "effectively banned" through the state's parental rights law critics have called "Don't Say Gay." But, under DeSantis' law, teachers are prohibited from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in school. "This attempt to censor the AP Psychology course is just one more example of the governor's extremist agenda," Spar said.

Persons: DeSantis, Ron DeSantis, Andrew Spar, —, Spar, Colin Sharkey Organizations: Board, Psych, Service, College Board, Florida Education Association —, The College Board, Florida Department of Education, The, Florida, College, International Baccalaureate, Association of American Educators Locations: Florida, Wall, Silicon

☆ Florida effectively bans advanced psychology course over LGBTQ content, course developer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"To be clear, any AP Psychology course taught in Florida will violate either Florida law or college requirements," the organization said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday. "Therefore, we advise Florida districts not to offer AP Psychology until Florida reverses their decision and allows parents and students to choose to take the full course." "We encourage the College Board to stop playing games with Florida students and continue to offer the course and allow teachers to operate accordingly." Palelis did not immediately respond to a question about whether the state had advised superintendents that the course violated state law. Discussions between the state and College Board about the psychology course began in May, a letter from Florida posted by the College Board on its website showed.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Read, Donald Trump, Cassandra Palelis, Palelis, Sharon Bernstein, Colleen Jenkins, Richard Chang Organizations: Hillsborough High School, Republican, U.S, AP, American, College Board, Florida Department of Education, Florida, The, Board, Thomson Locations: Florida

☆ The College Board Says A.P. Psychology Is ‘Effectively Banned’ in Florida
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Sarah Mervosh | More About Sarah Mervosh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The College Board announced on Thursday that Florida school districts should no longer offer Advanced Placement Psychology, one of the most popular A.P. The College Board, the nonprofit that oversees advanced placement courses and the SAT, revoked its support for A.P. “The Florida Department of Education has effectively banned A.P. Psychology in the state,” the College Board said in a statement. The Department of Education fired back, accusing the College Board of “playing games with Florida students” one week before school starts.

Organizations: College Board, state’s Department of Education, Florida Department of Education, of Education, Florida Locations: Florida

☆ GOP Rep. John James, one of the party's highest-profile Black lawmakers, blasts Ron DeSantis over Florida's new slavery curriculum: 'You've gone too far. Stop.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ron DeSantis over the new slavery curriculum in Florida. James on the social media platform X said DeSantis is now "so far from the Party of Lincoln." DeSantis has pushed back against Rep. Donalds and Sen. Scott over their critiques of the changes. Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida. Donalds on Friday made an appearance on Fox News, where he pointed to the DeSantis campaign over the dustup.

Persons: John James, Ron DeSantis, James, DeSantis, Sen, Scott, John James of Michigan, James —, —, lambast, Byron Donalds of, Tim Scott of, Christ, Ed, You've, Kamala Harris, Emmett Till, Donalds —, Trump's, Donalds, Michael M, Scott —, Donald Trump — Organizations: Gov, Party of Lincoln, Service, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Florida Department of Education, Rep, Fox News, Washington Republicans Locations: Florida, Wall, Silicon, Byron Donalds of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Donalds, Iowa

☆ Facing a future without affirmative action, students of color say the pressure is on them to fight for diversity: 'To be going backwards in this sort of immense way is really scary'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Yoonji Han | Lauren Frias | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Affirmative action has been used to pit Asian Americans against other communities of color, experts said. "By grouping together all Asian students, for instance, respondents are apparently uninterested in whether South Asian or East Asian students are adequately represented, so long as there is enough of one to compensate for a lack of the other," Roberts wrote. "Affirmative action provides a second chance for students of color," Stewart Kwoh, co-executive director of the Asian American Education Project, told Insider. In the face of the destabilizing effects of rolling back affirmative action, students of color are shoring up to ensure diversity at their schools. Ron DeSantis signed a bill mandating Asian American and Pacific Islander studies in schools, a move that critics condemned as using Asian American communities as a "wedge" against other communities of color.

Persons: —, John Roberts, Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Sotomayor, Stewart Kwoh, Sarah Zhang, we're, Zhang, Muskaan Arshad, Arshad, Chip Somodevilla, Ron DeSantis, Gregg Orton, There's, Reyna Patel, Hill, I've, Shruthi Kumar, Scott Applewhite, They're, Agustin Leon, Saenz Organizations: Service, Harvard, University of North, Asian American Education, Affirmative, Coalition, UNC, Fair, US, Florida Department of Education, AP, American, Florida Gov, Pacific, National Council of Asian Pacific, NBC, Studies, Asian Locations: University of North Carolina, America, Mexican, Harvard, Washington ,, Florida

☆ Florida Schools Question Content on Gender and Sexuality in A.P. Psychology
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Dana Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, Florida has been a leader among conservative states that have passed laws restricting how gender, sexuality and race can be taught in kindergarten through 12th grade. Few organizations have had a more difficult time navigating these limitations than the College Board, whose Advanced Placement program offers 40 courses that are available across the country. teachers in Florida, we are heartbroken by the possibility of Florida students being denied the opportunity to participate in this or any other A.P. Psychology stands in marked contrast to its response to Florida’s efforts last year to influence the curriculum of A.P. classes whose content, as interpreted by schools and teachers, might run counter to new conservative regulations on how race, gender and sexuality are discussed in the classroom.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Board’s, “, ” What’s, DeSantis Organizations: Republican, College Board, American Psychological Association, American Studies, Board, Florida Department of Education Locations: Florida

☆ California Gov. Gavin Newsom demands records from textbook companies to see which are caving to Florida's 'extremist' demands
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gavin Newsom wants to know which textbook publishers caved to Florida's demands. Newsom said his office sent a public records request to the Florida Department of Education to see which publishers it asked to change their books. Gavin Newsom is demanding textbook publishers hand over records to show if any companies making reading materials for the state had caved to Florida's demands to remove some topics about race and other historical subjects. Ron DeSantis and the DOE asking for all communication between them and textbook publishers that show all the revisions they requested in order to get a textbook approved by the state. One of the books rejected by the Florida Department of Education, "Social Studies Alive!

☆ Florida teacher says she is under investigation after showing 5th grade class Disney movie with gay character
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Melissa Alonso | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“I am the teacher that’s under investigation with the Florida Department of Education for indoctrination for showing a Disney movie,” Barbee said in a TikTok post over the weekend. In the post, Barbee explained she played the Disney movie to a class which was partially full after a day of standardized testing. Jordan also provided CNN with a copy of the announcement from the school district to parents. “Yesterday, the Disney movie ‘Strange World’ was shown in your child’s classroom,” the school district said. CNN has reached out to Rodriguez and Hernando County School District and the Florida Department of Education for comment.

☆ A Florida teacher says the state is investigating her for showing students the Disney movie 'Strange World,' which features an LGBTQ character
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A teacher in Florida says she is being investigated for showing her students "Strange World." "Strange World" features Disney's first openly LGBTQ lead character. Released in 2022, "Strange World" follows a family of explorers who travel through various jungles and other "uncharted" land. "Strange World" attracted backlash from conservatives after its release because one of the characters is Disney's first openly LGBTQ lead. Zee indicated in the tweet that his friend, a school teacher, was being investigated after showing their class "Strange World."

☆ Florida is trying to oust an elected school superintendent who publicly criticized DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Florida Department of Education is investigating an elected superintendent who is a fierce critic of Gov. Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna publicly criticized DeSantis for the governor's ban on mask mandates at schools during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a letter to Hanna, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. said the department had cause to "justify sanctions against your Florida educator certificate," according to the outlet. Hanna told The Daily Beast that he believes the state's investigation stems from a letter sent by a Moms for Liberty leader to DeSantis last year. The letter the group sent to DeSantis complained about the email Hanna sent to school staff at the beginning of the school year.

☆ DeSantis-picked board seeks new taxes and affordable housing at Disney after the company's 'blatant and hostile' grab for control
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

DeSantis' board overseeing Disney is considering new taxes, public transit, and housing. The board met for the first time since Disney's surprise maneuver. The five-member board met Wednesday for the first since Disney stealthily arranged a deal that would allow the theme park and resort to maintain control of its land, virtually in perpetuity. Much of the meeting made the legal case for the new board moving ahead, despite the maneuver Disney pulled last month. Firefighters who work for Disney's district said the previous board failed to give them the resources they needed to do their jobs, including new ambulances, even as Disney grew.

☆ AOC said the story of Rosa Parks is 'too woke' for the GOP after mention of her race was removed from teaching materials
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Her comments came after a publisher in Florida removed mention of Parks's race from draft teaching materials. Look at these books that have already been banned due to Republican measures," Ocasio-Cortez said before holding up several books. "'The Life of Rosa Parks' — this apparently is too woke by the Republican Party," she said, referencing a book by Kathleen Connors. In another incident, a textbook publisher used in Florida schools removed references to Parks's race in a draft lesson plan in an effort to comply with the state's Stop WOKE Act, legislation pushed by Florida Gov. The Florida Department of Education later said the publisher was wrong to remove mention of Parks's race.

☆ Florida moves to expand teaching ban on sexual orientation, gender identity
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Hillsborough High School students protest a Republican-backed bill dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" that would prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, a measure Democrats denounced as being anti-LGBTQ, in Tampa, Florida, U.S., March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File PhotoMarch 22 (Reuters) - Florida is looking to expand its ban on teaching young children about sexual orientation and gender identity issues to include all students in its public schools under a new rule set for a vote by the state Board of Education next month. Last year, DeSantis signed a Republican-backed measure that banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. The Florida Department of Education's new proposal, which would not require legislative approval, would extend the ban through the 12th grade. "There is no reason for instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to be part of K-12 public education.

☆ A publisher removed references to Rosa Parks' race in a draft of its textbook to comply with Florida's laws, NYT reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A publisher removed references to Rosa Parks' race in a draft of a Florida textbook. Studies Weekly changed the language to comply with the Stop Woke Act, The New York Times reported. The publisher told the Times that it withdrew from the state's review. DeSantis signed into law the Stop Woke Act and the Don't Say Gay Act in 2022. The FDOE has also amended the Stop Woke Act to ban critical race theory from being taught in schools.

☆ Dozens of civil rights groups are demanding the company that runs AP classes stand up to Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

30 civil rights groups demanded the College Board stand up to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The College Board is facing criticism over the rollout of the AP African American studies course. Ron DeSantis after the botched rollout of the company's AP African American Studies course. DeSantis initially rejected the AP African American Studies course in January. But according to reporting from The New York Times, the College Board had repeated contact with DeSantis' administration to discuss the AP African American Studies' course curriculum.

☆ Florida state officials are weighing 'classical and Christian' alternative to the SAT: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Florida officials have been holding talks to use the CLT as an alternative to the SAT, per the Miami Herald. Tate told the newspaper that the SAT had become "increasingly ideological" partly because it had "censored the entire Christian-Catholic intellectual tradition." Florida Department of Education Senior Chancellor Henry Mack on Thursday expressed interest in using the Classic Learning Test. "As you know the State University System is the largest university system in the country that still requires an entrance exam as part of our admissions process. Tate told the Herald that conservatives may prefer the CLT, but he didn't want the assessment to become ideological.

☆ The College Board claps back at DeSantis, calling Florida's reasoning for banning AP African American studies 'slander'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The College Board clapped back on Saturday, defending the course. Instead, the College Board said the administration has leaned into spreading misinformation: "We need to clear the air and set the record straight." The College Board maintained that the course framework was just an outline for the pilot course. The organization also slammed the administration for taking credit for changes that the College Board made to the course and said that there have not been any negotiations between the College Board and the FDOE. "The College Board condemns this uninformed caricature of African American Studies and the harm it does to scholars and students," the statement continues.

☆ Learning about the Black Lives Matter movement will now be optional in a new AP Black history class after Florida Gov. DeSantis publicly rejected the course
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The College Board released its new framework for its AP African American Studies course Wednesday. The course makes topics like Black Lives Matter, reparations, and queer studies optional for students to learn. But much of its modern content — like Black Lives Matter, affirmative action, Black queer studies, and reparations — has been both watered down and labeled as optional for a required research project. Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of black history is queer theory?

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