Florida education officials allegedly told a school teacher she was under investigation for misconduct after her friend claimed she showed students the Disney animated film Strange World.
The alleged investigation that followed this alleged Strange World presentation comes amid right-wing Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attacks on educators that include censorship of books and limitations on discussions of race and sex as he competes for the presidential nomination of his party with “anti-awakening” talking points.
“My friend showed Disney’s Strange World to a classroom in Florida and a student told his parents. Now it is being investigated by the state”, Carl Zee. tweeted on May 11. “Florida is not safe for teachers, DO NOT MOVE HERE.”
The film involves a group of explorers trying to save a “mysterious land from losing its vital power source,” according to Variety.
Zee included a photo of a letter from the Florida Department of Education, stating that “after receipt of a complaint, this office has determined that an investigation is warranted into allegations that you engaged in inappropriate conduct.”
“If you have evidentiary witnesses or documents relevant to the case, send them to this office no later than two weeks after receiving this letter,” the alleged letter continues. CBR.com first reported on Zee’s Tweet.
The alleged letter does not establish specific accusations against this teacher. The Florida department of education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Responding to a Twitter user who said teachers who break the law are under investigation, Zee wrote: “She has signed permission slips from every parent in the classroom to show Disney and Dreamworks movies in class, even offers lines to specify parent-specific movies. she didn’t want it to show. No exception was written, so no, she didn’t break the law. Try again, idiot.
News of the alleged investigation is in keeping with concerns from Florida teachers that they are being blocked and intimidated by new legislation championed by DeSantis. He has claimed, without evidence, that there is “indoctrination in our schools” and allowed his press secretary to claim that teachers are “grooming” students.
A new Florida law has effectively resulted in book bans, with classrooms and libraries removing books over concerns they contain “inappropriate” content.
A high school English teacher in Palm Bay, Florida, told The Guardian that a librarian took a third of the books from his classroom, including a collection of poems by Emily Dickinson, which was not on his wish list. approved books.
DeSantis has also attacked Disney as a company after the entertainment titan rejected his “don’t say gay” legislation. He hit back at Disney by signing a bill that stripped Disney of its status as a special autonomous district near Orlando.
Disney fought DeSantis, filing a federal lawsuit alleging he retaliated against the company for expressing his first amendment right to free speech. In the lawsuit, Disney asks to stop the governor’s attempted takeover of the special district.
