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A teacher in the Sunshine State is facing an investigation after she showed a Disney film to the students in her classroom.
Credit: Walt Disney Animation
Over the past year, Florida’s education legislation has been a hot topic–even to the point of being both mocked and supported at a national level. In fact, Disney’s public opposition to a piece of Florida education legislation in March 2022 was responsible for setting into motion the now-elevated Disney v. DeSantis feud.
Credit: Freedom Destinations
Disney has come under fire recently for changes the company is making that many see as a bending toward a “woke” ideology. According to The Daily Mail, many fans feel that Disney has taken things too far:
“Disney has taken numerous strides to become more inclusive in recent years–changing park policy to stop staff from using gendered greetings, implementing an anti-racism training course for employees, giving old characters progressive makeovers, and removing offensive imagery from rides and movies. However, some people feel that the company has gone too far in its woke changes.
Credit: Disney Parks
“For it’s change of direction, the question has lingered in recent months if they have taken it too far.”
While these changes have been seen in Disney’s theme parks, as well as in a leaked training video from The Walt Disney Company, they are perhaps no more noticeable than in the entertainment giant’s 2022 film releases, each of which is considered box office bombs by the industry: Disney/PIXAR’s Turning Red (March 2022) and Lightyear (June 2022), as well as Disney’s Strange World (November 2022). The three films performed so poorly that altogether, they have cost the studios more than $300 million so far.
Disney’s “Strange World”/Credit: Walt Disney Animation
It’s Disney’s Strange World that was shown by the Florida teacher in this story. According to a tweet by her friend, the teacher recently showed the animated film to students in her classroom. Following the classroom viewing, the teacher received a certified letter from the Florida Department of Education, letting her know that an investigation had been open, pursuant to Florida State Statute 1012.796.
“My friend showed Disney’s Strange World in a Florida classroom and one student reported it to their parents,” Carl Zee tweeted. “Now she’s under investigation by the state. Florida is not safe for teachers, DO NOT MOVE HERE.”
My friend showed Disney’s Strange World in a Florida classroom and one student reported it to their parents. Now she’s under investigation by the state.
Florida is not safe for teachers, DO NOT MOVE HERE. pic.twitter.com/rZJPdadz28
— Carl Zee (@c350Zee) May 11, 2023
The letter refers to Florida State Statute 1012.796, Complaints against teachers and administrators; procedure; penalties., which states, in part, that “any complaint filed before it or otherwise called to its attention which, if legally sufficient, contains grounds for the revocation or suspension of a certificate or any other appropriate penalty as set forth in subsection (7). The complaint is legally sufficient if it contains the ultimate facts which show a violation has occurred as provided in S.1012.795 and defined by rule of the State Board of Education.”
Credit: Twitter/Carl Zee
The verbiage in the statute goes on to state that “the department shall immediately investigate any legally sufficient complaint that involves misconduct by any certificated personnel which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student, giving the complaint priority over other pending complaints.”
If parents were concerned about certain Disney films being shown in the classroom, they certainly aren’t alone.
Trent Talbot, a father of two, recently slammed Disney on FOX News for “surrendering to the woke mob.”
‘Disney has surrendered to the woke mob and is using its platform to indoctrinate the children of America into becoming the woke activists of tomorrow,’ he said. “Kids need entertainment that is a refuge from this crazy culture, where they can be entertained with just great stories and fun characters. ‘And parents should have confidence that their children are seeing and hearing stories that are good and true.”
As the investigation is not yet complete, only time will tell what the outcome will be and whether further implications that outcome may have on Florida’s education system, its teachers, and its students.
