Corey Simon talks school choice, African American history, and sports post-session

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Freshman Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, made his mark in the legislature after helping carry a sweeping school choice expansion reform.

Simon spoke with Florida’s Voice following the jam-packed 2023 Legislative Session. Watch the full interview here, or scroll to the bottom of this report.

Signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, the law expanded school choice vouchers to all students in the state regardless of income, among other school-related measures.

“I carried that with a lot of pride because I understood the magnitude of young people in our district,” Simon said.

It also included deregulation measures for public schools, which Simon said would help them stay competitive with private options.

“Even in my own professional career, professional football career, I got better as a player when they brought in someone to challenge me,” he explained. “And so that’s what this is. It opens up our school system to competition. With that competition brings ingenuity, different ways of looking at how we educate our young people.”

“But ultimately, it gets back to the parents and having them at the driver’s seat of their child’s education.”

In a bipartisan effort, Simon also helped carry legislation with Rep. Christopher Benjamin, D-Miami Gardens, and Rep. Randy Fine, R-South Brevard County, to increase reporting requirements for African American history teachings in school districts.

Legislation required school districts provide evidence that African American history instruction requirements are being met. Simon said it codifies language that is already written in statute.

“There were so many false narratives that have been put out there over the last year of banning African American studies and not wanting it to be taught,” Simon said. “And what I wanted to do is sit down with the Department of Education, with my co-sponsor Rep. Benjamin and we talked about these issues and saying ‘what’s real and what’s just a political narrative.'”

“Quite honestly, the narrative has gotten so far out of whack that I wanted to make sure that all 67 counties, all of our school districts understood what’s expected from them in the way of teaching African American history.”

Florida lawmakers passed legislation to increase penalties for people who interrupt sporting or entertainment events by acts such as running onto a field or jumping onto a stage.

Simon, a former NFL football player who helped champion the legislation, said social media encouraged people to cause disruption during these events.

“Our venues are going to be safe for the people that come and perform, whether that be an athletic event or a concert venue,” Simon said. “They’re going to be a safe place for athletes. They’re going to be a safe place for our singers and our songwriters.”

Florida lawmakers approved a six-week abortion ban with Simon being one of the two Republican senators to vote against the proposal. Simon told Florida’s Voice that his vote was more about the promise he made on the campaign trail than his personal beliefs.

“I am pro-life. My personal story is very tough. My wife and I, we have one child, we wanted more. We’ve had several miscarriages over the years. I’m so thankful, so blessed to have my son that managed to make it here,” Simon said. “And so personally I’m very pro-life.”

On the campaign trail Simon told voters he stood by the 15-week mark, where Florida stood at the time, and did not want to go back on his word. When asked why he promised the 15 weeks, he said he understood his district.

“I also understand my district,” Simon said. “There’s a reason why this district had never been represented by Republicans since Reconstruction and so this was less about me personally, and more about the people I serve.”

Simon also commented on a bill that eliminates state dollars from being used for higher education “DEI” departments. It also establishes standards for core courses.

Simon pointed to colleges across the country that are hosting segregated ceremonies.

“Racism, and it doesn’t matter who’s pushing it, it is wrong. Segregation is wrong,” Simon said. “So it’s unfortunate that across the country we’ve had these indoctrination factories on our university campuses that have gone to segregating us again and that’s nonsense.”