Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently declared a war against what he calls “woke politics”, that is, politics that assume that there is a structural injustice in society that needs to be addressed. Recently, a ban was imposed on the teaching of, for example, history and racism, which can make students feel guilty about their gender or ethnicity.
The legislation has been heavily criticized for censoring education and a federal judge has called the ban “dystopian”, reports The Guardian. Advocates, on the other hand, see the law as a way for parents to regain control over their children’s education. One of them is Jennifer Pippin, who has a child at a school in Florida.
– The school should not teach or have books about, for example, that African Americans are oppressed. It is so important because everyone should be treated equally, she says.
Disputed laws set a pattern
Last year, Ron DeSantis received attention after another of his controversial laws was passed. The so-called “Don’t say gay” law prohibits certain teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity and has been heavily criticized for being vaguely worded.
– We will ensure that parents can send their children to school to receive education, not indoctrination, said the governor in connection with the signing of the law.
Could be president
The laws are seen as attempts to politicize identity and cultural issues within the school, something that has made him popular among conservative voters in the United States. Despite not saying he will run for President of the United States, Ron DeSantis has been singled out as one of the major challengers to Donald Trump, who announced his candidacy late last year.
Hear how teachers and students react to Ron Desanti’s laws in the video.