DeSantis signs 3 bills ending CRT, DEI spending in higher education

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed several higher education bills into law Monday while speaking at New College of Florida in Sarasota.

Among the bills signed was SB 266, which uses broader definitions to limit, but not eliminate, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in colleges and universities in the state.

The law prohibits colleges and universities from spending public dollars on DEI initiatives that promote “dangerous political and social activism,” prevents the teaching of critical race theory, and DEI in general education courses, and bars programs, majors, minors, and curriculum based on these and related theories.

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‘Go to Berkeley’: Ron DeSantis said students seeking ‘woke’ classes should study elsewhere

If students want to study critical race theory or gender ideology, Gov. Ron DeSantis says they should leave Florida.

“Go to Berkeley. Go to some of these other places. That’s fine,” he said. “If that’s what you want to do, there’s nothing wrong with that, per se. But for us with our tax dollars, we want to focus on the classical mission of what a university is supposed to be.”

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Oh, The Hypocrisy!

“I believe that the truth will set us free. Now, this advent of woke ideology really represents a challenge to this. I think it’s a war on truth, and because it’s a war on truth, we must wage a war on woke.”....MORE

UNTHINKABLE: DeSantis Florida education policies lead to rejection of Holocaust textbooks

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s war with anything he personally judges to be “woke” has had unconscionable consequences — with the latest obscene development being the diminishment of the Holocaust by rejecting books that the state now considers too “woke.”....MORE

Florida doctors can now deny health care coverage based on personal views

SB1580, the medical conscience law, gives health care providers and insurers new rights, including the ability to opt out of participation or payment for certain health care services on the basis of personal objections.

The policy gives insurers and health care providers the ability to deny medical services that are against their moral religious or ethical beliefs.

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Gov. DeSantis signs measure to shift hundreds of millions in taxes to charter schools

Charter schools are going to tap into the pot of money that has so far been dedicated to capital costs at traditional public schools, according to legislation Gov. Ron DeSantis signed.....MORE

MidPoint: Classic New College or New New College?

The DeSantis Dept. of Education is developing a “Classical and Christian” alternative to the SAT test for all 11th graders in Florida. Yesterday, Governor DeSantis approved HB1537, a massive education bill that mandates, among other things, that by the 2023-2024 school year, each school district in Florida select either the SAT, ACT, or the “Classic Learning Test” to be administered in 11th grade.....MORE

Teachers unions are suing over Gov. DeSantis-championed legislation

Just like Disney did last month, teacher and faculty unions have filed suit against the state for attacking their First Amendment rights. They are calling the legislation that limits unions’ ability to sign up members and collect dues an attempt to retaliate against them for speaking out. The suit asks the courts to stop the law from being enforced.....MORE

Ron DeSantis suggests cutting federal spending, silent on Social Security, Medicare cuts

The Governor is offering vague solutions to the debt ceiling crisis.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is offering a solution to the current federal debt ceiling crisis.

“What they should be doing is reducing spending,” DeSantis said in Miami.

However, the Governor ignored the question from a reporter about whether Social Security and Medicare should be “on the table,”....

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Gov. DeSantis signs bills limiting School Board terms, chipping away at teachers unions

The Governor signed a slew of bills likely to shake up public education’s status quo, with new limits on School Board terms, the end of automatically deducting union dues from paychecks and a block on students using social media via school Wi-Fi.....MORE

Former and current New College faculty share concerns about present, future of institution

New College of Florida has continued to make local and national headlines. Most recently, five faculty members were denied early tenure, a trustee resigned and another faculty member was fired.

Former New College faculty have concerns about the present and future of the institution.

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Photos: Nikki Fried and hundreds of Florida Democrats ‘Stand United’ at rally through Ybor City

Photo by Dave Decker

Last Sunday, temperatures climbed to the high-80s in Tampa. Still, an estimated 300 heated local democrats led by Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried took to Ybor City to stand united against Gov. Ron DeSantis who oversaw a 60-day legislative session that expanded anti-LGBTQ and immigration laws, brought us closer to radioactive roads, gave landlords more power over renters, and threatened to send more fertilizer runoff flowing towards our springs.....MORE

Ron DeSantis' Friends Sue Disney For Making Him Look Like An Incompetent Moron

Ron DeSantis' hand-picked oversight board that is now in charge of Disney's district announced on Monday that they were suing the company because, as they put it, Disney sued them first. The board alleges that Disney is trying to wrestle control of the district away from the newly-appointed board, but everything that the company has done up to this point was perfectly legal - and they even gave the state government notice of the "sneaky" things they were about to do! Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins explains what's happening.

Ron DeSantis praises ‘fantastic individual’ Tucker Carlson

Gov. Ron DeSantis took his time offering comment on the end of Tucker Carlson’s Fox News career, but he lavished on the praise Friday.....MORE

Ron DeSantis derides ‘paid agitators’ in Governor’s Office

'These people are paid to be agitators quite frankly.'

Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn’t believe there is anything spontaneous about protests in the Capitol Plaza Level this week.

During a very friendly Newsmax interview, the Florida Governor suggested the protesters were in fact paid provocateurs, using a loaded phrase to make his point.

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DeSantis signs bill to let board void Disney agreements

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a bill that allows the new board overseeing Disney World’s government services to cancel the last-minute agreements that stripped it of some of its powers.....MORE

DUMBING DOWN: Trump vows to escalate GOP attack on higher education

Donald Trump has rolled out a new campaign promise: to go after colleges that implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, and “radically transform” higher education by forcing schools to defend “American tradition and western civilization.”

Trump appears to be taking a page from the Ron DeSantis playbook after the Florida governor announced similar measures in his state. Trump’s announcement falls short of clear policy directives but sounds much like those DeSantis has already attempted or announced.

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Legal war begins: DeSantis’ board countersues Disney

For decades, Disney exerted its influence to gain total control over its private government and received special treatment no other Florida businesses got, the state-run Central Florida Tourism Board argues in a lawsuit seeking to regain control of Disney World’s special government district.

The state-run board countersued Disney in Orange Circuit Court following Disney’s decision to file a federal lawsuit against them and Gov. Ron DeSantis last week.

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Legislature approves elections bill with resign-to-run fix for Gov. DeSantis

An elections bill that hikes fines on third-party voter registration groups, shortens the window to return mail ballots and ensures Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn’t need to resign to run for President passed the House and is on its way to DeSantis’ desk.

Democrats say the bill is 'designed to keep communities down and apathetic and hopeless.'

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DeSantis FINALLY Gets What He Deserves, Crushed By Disney Surprise

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally gets payback for all of the insane power play attacks DeSantis attempted against Disney. John Iadarola and Farron Cousins break it down on The Damage Report.