Controversial Florida teacher prep bill heads to DeSantis
Before House lawmakers pushed through a bill on Wednesday creating a 25-foot “no-go” zone around first responders such as police, its sponsor reassured worried lawmakers that it wasn’t a done deal and there would be a “better” version.
There wasn’t.
The measure passed the Senate as-is Thursday, with no changes to address the fears from a number of Black Democratic lawmakers that it would be used to prevent their constituents from documenting police brutality.
The bill now heads straight to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“I am deeply disappointed that this bill, which was supposed to include a cooperative effort by both Democrats and Republicans in the House to improve its language, has passed in its current form in the Senate,” said Rep. Lavon Bracy Davis, D-Ocoee, in a statement.
“They pushed forward with an unwillingness to be cooperative and passed a bill that will only be weaponized against Black people.”
If signed, the legislation (SB 184)
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to a measure designed to keep “identity politics” out of teacher preparation programs that lead to educators getting their professional certificates, readying the bill to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted 28-12 along party lines to approve the bill (HB 1291) nearly a week after the House passed the measure.
The bill emerged as one of the most controversial education bills of the 2024 legislative session.
Under the bill, teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities would be barred from teaching “identity politics” or include lessons that are would create a second-degree misdemeanor for anyone who, after a warning, approaches or remains within 25 feet of working first responders with the intent to harass, threaten, impede or interfere. That’s punishable by up to 60 days behind bars.
The bill, which would take effect Nov. 1, doesn’t include a provision that was in the House version. It specifically says “peaceful audio or video recording, photographing, or eyewitness overserving” wouldn’t be affected.
Bracy Davis had filed an unsuccessful amendment to get that language back in.
“The only reason we know what happened
“based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
A House analysis of the measure said that there are 57 “initial” teacher preparation programs in Florida at 10 state universities, 19 state colleges and 28 private colleges and universities. The bill also would apply to preparation programs for prospective school leaders.
The term identity politics is not defined in the measure, which drew questions from Democrats during Senate debate Wednesday.
Outnumbered Democrats in the Senate also gave impassioned arguments against the bill, with some senators arguing that the measure threatens to chill to George Floyd is because of a girl who was filming his murder close by, and it is apparent to me today that this body is more concerned with the comfort of the police officer than it is with justice and truth,” she said.
Rep. Alex Rizo, a Hialeah Republican, told lawmakers on Wednesday that he was “working very hard” with the Senate sponsors to make changes so it could come back to the House for another vote.
“You have my word,” Rizo said, “we’re going to get it in a much better place.” He emphasized that the bill was about first responder safety and the safety of those present at the scene of an emergency, not about preventing people from documenting police abuses.
Bill sponsor Sen. Bryan Ávila, R-Miami Springs, said on that chamber’s floor that recording is already constitutionally permissible.
Only one senator, a Democrat, voted against it. Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, pointed out how close the person who filmed the police murder of Floyd stood and that there could be obstructions blocking view of something happening 25 feet away.
But Sen. Jason Pizzo, a North Miami Beach Democrat, came out strongly in teachers’ speech in the classroom.
“I disagree with the premise that learning about white privilege, learning about systemic racism, learning about diversity is problematic,” Sen. Tina Polsky said.
Numerous critics of the bill also have argued that such restrictions on programs that prepare educators to teach would in turn prevent students from learning the realities of history.
“You can’t celebrate progress if you deny the distance that you’ve had to go to get where you are,” Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, said.
Senate sponsor Blaise Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, argued during debate on the bill Wednesday that teacher preparation programs containing the targeted content are “not teaching empathy, support but said he thought the distance should be even further.
“I think sometimes it’s not enough,” he said. “It might be 25 feet. It might be 250 feet. If responders during 9/11 said get back on two huge towers, that distance to get back is likely a mile.”
The 25-foot distance is longer than what either chamber’s bill had originally. The House proposal set it at 20 feet, and the Senate, which also used to have a first-degree misdemeanor punishment, had 14 feet.
The final legislation met a lot more Democratic opposition in the House Wednesday, passing by a 85-27 vote.
“I asked the question about where does the 25 feet start, and I got no real answer,” said Democratic Rep. Ashley Gantt of Miami before the Wednesday vote, mentioning how there could be numerous first responders at an emergency scene.
She added: “This can very well be weaponized by police officers … I want to record but where do I have the ability to record without jeopardizing my freedom?”
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. they’re teaching blame. And I think that’s a big distinction.”
Ingoglia also contended that the measure would not make changes to what content students encounter in the classrooms.
“The ability to teach to diverse backgrounds is critically important in getting your message across. This (bill) is about how teachers are taught to teach. Not the content of what they’re teaching,” Ingoglia said before the measure was approved.
A separate provision of the bill also requires that the teacher preparation programs “must afford candidates the opportunity to think critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn instructional strategies, and demonstrate competence.”