![]() ![]() ![]() Teacher starts petition for removal of school board member The last day of school for students is May 31.ĬNN has reached out to the Florida Department of Education for comment. She told CNN she had already submitted her resignation a week before the incident due to “politics and the fear of not being able to be who you are” in the public school system. “I had no idea whatsoever that this was such a big deal.”īarbee has not retained an attorney and will not return to the district next year. “I just found out today that they increased it to my level,” the fifth-grade teacher told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota last week. Teachers who violate the state policy can be suspended or have their teaching licenses revoked.īarbee didn’t know the law had been expanded to her grade level, she told CNN. The law initially applied to kindergarten through third grade, but last month, Florida’s state education board voted to expand the law’s scope to include all grades through high school. Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March 2022 saying it was a form of “parental rights,” while opponents said it tried to erase LGBTQ people from schools and dubbed the law “Don’t Say Gay.” Record number of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced this yearįlorida Gov. Parent and school board member Shannon Rodriguez reported the showing of the movie to state education officials because Florida law bans the instruction of certain LGBTQ topics in schools. under lesson plans, it states, “All electronic media (Videos, CDs, DVDs, etc.) used in the classroom must be related to the curriculum being taught, be grade level appropriate and must be approved by school administration prior to viewing by students.” In the Hernando School District Staff Handbook for 2022-2023. This is not an excuse but I am a first year teacher and learn something new every day.” “If there was such a policy or procedure in place, I am unaware of it ever being followed by my fellow teachers. I was under the impression that the permission slip was sufficient and was unaware of any policy or procedure in place concerning the approval of specific films. She said she emailed the Office of Professional Practices Services at the Education Department requesting clarification, saying: “I had permission slips signed for the students but did not obtain approval for the specific film. The report is signed by Cari O’Rourke, the principal at the school in Brooksville.īarbee told CNN earlier this month there was no school protocol in place for clearing individual movies and said she had not been informed by the education department about which provision she was accused of violating. State education officials want to interview students of Florida teacher under investigation for showing Disney movie to class You had the PG(-rated movies) approval forms for all of the students and had connected the movie to the curriculum being taught.” The school system maintained Barbee violated the staff handbook, saying, “You are reminded … that you must seek and receive administrative approval before showing a film or video.”įlorida teacher who says she is under investigation after showing a Disney movie with a gay character. The final report from Hernando County says, “The investigation was completed regarding the parent complaint. The school system subsequently opened its own investigation. The animated film tells the story of a family of explorers and Barbee said it was relevant to her lesson on ecosystems and the environment.īarbee was reported to the Florida Department of Education after a student told their mom, a member of the school board, about the film being shown. The Hernando County School Board has closed its investigation into a Florida teacher who showed the Disney film “Strange World” to her fifth-grade class, according to a copy of the district’s final report provided to CNN by Jenna Barbee, the educator.īarbee said the Florida Department of Education’s inappropriate conduct investigation is ongoing.Ī first-year teacher at Winding Waters K-8 school, Barbee said she showed the 2022 film because it directly related to class curriculum, not because it portrayed Disney’s first openly gay character. ![]()
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