‘Christian fundamentalist’

Teachers Slam DeSantis’ ‘Disturbing’ New School Civics Initiative

Instructors say the new standards shown at a workshop this week don’t emphasize the separation of church and state, or the role of the colonies in slavery.

In Florida, DeSantis conservatism has another target in its sights: statewide civics standards. Several teachers took part in a three-day workshop this week to preview what’s to come in their classrooms as a part of the governor’s Civics Literacy Excellence Initiative to make “virtuous citizens.” They were not impressed. Teachers told the Miami Herald the new standards portray the founders as against the idea of the separation of church and state, downplay the role of the colonies in slavery, and push conservative judicial theories. “It was very skewed,” said Barbara Segal, a 12th-grade government teacher at Fort Lauderdale High. “There was a very strong Christian fundamentalist way toward analyzing different quotes and different documents. That was concerning.” Richard Judd, a social studies teacher with 22 years’ experience, said there was a “disturbing” attempt to “both censor and to drive or propagandize particular points of view.” The state Department of Education refuted those concerns, saying in a statement: “Every lesson we teach is based on history, not ideology or any form of indoctrination. Let us know if you are actually interested in reviewing the coursework and understanding it for yourself.”