An investigation into a teacher in Florida who showed her class a Disney film has ended.
New laws in Florida are seemingly becoming so draconian that they are calling into question whether Disney movies are appropriate for children. There's some irony given that Florida is also the home of Disney World...
One Florida schoolteacher has already felt the sting of the new rules after she was formally investigated for showing a Disney movie to a class of her students.
Jenna Barbee showed her fifth grade class the Disney film Strange World, which is rated PG.
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The film contains a gay character, which could have been in contravention of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law.
Sharing her side of the story in a six-minute TikTok video, Jenna, who is in her first year of teaching, explained that she showed the film because it fitted with the class curriculum, since they had been learning about earth science and eco-systems.
She added that the LGBTQ+ subplot, which she described as 'harmless', was not the reason she put on the movie.
However, one student complained to her mum Shannon Rodriguez, a member of the county's school board, after becoming uncomfortable while watching the film. An investigation was subsequently opened into Ms Barbee, which has now concluded.
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The final report said: “The investigation was completed regarding the parent complaint. You had the PG(-rated movies) approval forms for all of the students and had connected the movie to the curriculum being taught.”
However, it added that she had not gained permission to show the film or video from the school, which was against the staff handbook.
It said: “You are reminded … that you must seek and receive administrative approval before showing a film or video.”
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A petition has since been launched to remove Rodriguez from the school board. At the time of writing it has drawn in more than 18,000 signatures.
This is not the only way schools are seemingly already being impacted in Florida, with videos circulating on social media of school libraries after book bans saw many books removed.
One video saw pallets of books covering topics including Black history and World War Two being made ready to be removed from the school.
This has come alongside an avalanche of bills targeting trans people, the LGBTQ+ community at large, women, and migrants. These include one bill which allows the state to take physical custody of any child 'suspected' of receiving gender-affirming care.
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One Democratic representative in Florida accused governor Ron DeSantis - who announced his presidential campaign yesterday - of engaging in 'fascism'.
Kit Roberts