DeSantis signs bill barring ideologically charged teacher training requirements

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Thursday prohibiting ideology-based requirements for teacher certifications in the state.

The bill, HB 1291, prevents teacher certification programs from “distorting historical events” or embracing politically ideological positions on race, sex and gender.

Specifically, the programs will not be allowed to claim that things like systemic racism, sexism, oppression or privilege are inherent in systems of power.

DeSantis explained during a press conference that even if the state bans critical race theory or other ideological curriculum, teachers are still learning to teach students these concepts during their educator preparation training.

“This bill prohibits the indoctrination in teacher preparation,” DeSantis said. “There’s not gonna be DEI, there’s not gonna be any of the bogus history, it’s just gonna be standard teacher preparation without having an ideological agenda.”

“Parents want to send their kids to school knowing they get an education,” he continued. “I don’t think they’re interested in an indoctrination.”

“To say you’re going to take one viewpoint, one perceptive, and try to impose that as the standard for curriculum, that doesn’t work in Florida and we don’t do it,” he added.

Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Seminole, one of the main sponsors of the bill, thanked the governor for signing the legislation and advocating for teachers.

He reflected on when he called the left wing indoctrination “woke garbage” on the House floor, while debating Democrats during the bill’s consideration.

“You can imagine a lot of the Democrats, they didn’t like it too much. They were calling a point of order, they said I broke decorum, asking the speaker to admonish me,” Jacques said. “So I took a deep breath and I came bake with a more polite term, and I called it woke rubbish.”

“The fact of the matter is this, regardless of how you slice it, whether it’s CRT or DEI, all of that stuff is simply trash,” he said. “And with the signature today of HB 1291, governor, we will once and for all take out the trash here in the state of Florida.”

An elementary school teacher in Duval County expressed her thanks to the governor for his work in strengthening educator preparation programs.

She talked about her own experience teaching in a private school that allows for her to educate. students on accurate history.

“It saddens me however that not every educator in this country gets the opportunity to witness this great, healthy cultivation of knowledge,” she said.

She warned how teachers who grew up without a strong set of morals and values can end up blindly leading future generations.

“What this bill is so wonderfully providing is an opportunity for educators to not be blind anymore,” she continued. “The goal is to make more educators feel confident about what history is without hidden agendas.”

In addition to Jacques, the legislation was sponsored by Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, and Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill.

It’s set to go into effect on July 1.