11. Civics

Florida Department of Education considers adding military hero worship to state civics courses

Orlando Weekly

Wednesday, The Florida State Board of Education will decide on whether they will adopt a bill that will reshape the way civic education is being taught in public schools. If accepted, the bill will be put into place next spring.

Republican lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear that patriotism in school curriculum was a top priority during their campaign. DeSantis started his position by signing HB 5 into law in June that enforced that students are taught an “understanding of the civic-minded expectations, developed by the State Board of Education, of an upright and desirable citizenry that recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and defending the blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations and secured by the United States Constitution.”

The proposed bill the state board will consider Wednesday would directly affect the state Department of Education to require students to understand "America's founding documents."

Concerning the issue, DeSantis said "Understanding the Bill of Rights, understanding other key amendments to the Constitution, understanding the differences between (the) federal and state Constitution. There's all these different things that I think are fundamental."

The rule would update the curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade. It involves teaching children patriotic values. The proposed rule says that it would make students an "upright and desirable" citizens.

The proposal, also, says that citizens should display "civic virtue and self-government that promotes the success of the United States constitutional republic through personal responsibility, civility, and respect in political, social, and religious discourse and lawful civic engagement.” 

It continues to speak on why enforcing these ideologies in schools will make students become better citizens. In my unprofessional opinion, it's giving 1984.