- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a “”Curriculum Transparency”” bill into law in March 2021 that requires all library books to be chosen by a certified media specialist.
- Brian Covey was a full-time substitute teacher in Duval County, Florida. He posted a video of empty bookshelves at his school to social media, which was seen by millions.
- Covey was fired the day after DeSantis called his video a “”fake narrative”” and “”not true.””
- Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) interpreted the law to apply to library books and classroom instruction, and has only approved 6,000 books out of 1.6 million titles.
- Media specialists are now reviewing books to determine if they comply with the STOP Woke Act and Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the “”Don’t Say Gay”” law.
- The Best Man, a novel for children, has been reviewed and banned from schools in Duval County for featuring two men marrying and having a ring bearer, which DiBias determined was “”portraying sexual excitement and is damaging to students.””
- In August 2021, DeSantis announced an effort to address the teacher shortage in Florida by allowing military veterans to receive a teaching certification without a college degree, which has resulted in the hiring of 10 teachers statewide.
Published February 21, 2023
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