in 2022 Florida was the scene of one of the most intense image crises that has ever gone through The Walt Disney Company. While the Republican governor (and possible candidate for the presidential election) Roy DeSantis promoted the bill popularly nicknamed ‘Don’t Say Gay’it transcended that the directive of Bob Chapek he made copious donations to De Santis and other politicians of his kind.
Since the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law sought to eliminate from schools any agenda minimally associated with the collective LGTBIQ+ (and stopped the protection of teachers or students members of the collective), Disney’s attitude was criticized, and months after Chapek announced that the donations would stop, he was dismissed by Bob Iger, his former successor. The fact is that the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law was finally approved, and that is what explains the attitude of a Florida teacher.
According to Deadlinethis teacher is currently being investigated for having put her fifth-grade students in class (that is, between 10 and 11 years) precisely a Disney movie, Strange world. This film was released last year and was controversial for having a character, ethanwho was openly gay: this controversy did not reach the extremes of the kiss of lightyear due to the fact that the film performed very disappointingly at the box office: one of the worst in Disney history.
The fact is that the teacher did not choose Strange World because of the LGTBIQ+ representation, but because “it was related to the topic”. This is how she explained it Jenna Barbee in a recent TikTok video. Barbee was teaching”Earth sciences, ecosystems and how humans and animals interact”. And this movie it’s perfect to explain it”, assures the teacher. “What better way to show it all off than with huge lessons on bridging differences, to be nicecommunicate and pursue your dreams, much of that is also present on the agenda”.
With God we have met
At the beginning of the course, the teacher asked the parents of each student for a signed authorization to allow her to show PG films in class, regardless of the theme and without the obligation to consult anyone. But Barbee put Strange world after taking an exam with several classes, so students from other classrooms were present. Including the daughter of Shannon Rodrigueza member of the school district council, who decided to sue the teacher.
According to Rodríguez, he sounded the alarm, the department began an investigation of course “indoctrination”. Barbee hides behind the fact that the LGTBIQ+ plot of Strange world is extremely anecdotal, and that in fact the only kisses that occur in the film are between heterosexuals. Something that does not convince Rodríguez, who has already declared that “it is not a teacher’s job to impose his beliefs on a child: religious, sexual orientation, gender identity or any”. “As the leader of this community I am not going to stand by and allow this minority to infiltrate our schools. god put me here”.
Rodríguez’s religiosity has not allowed him to realize the contradiction, but Barbee has pointed it out in his video. “A board member, who is supposed to be impartial, can go public saying that She is Christian and God put her on the council, but for me to put on a Disney movie is indoctrination.” Barbee insists that none of the students gave it the least bit of importance, and that it was the denunciation that made it a problem.
He also adds that what is going to be disturbing is the process that the students have ahead of them. Research encourages children to be “taken out of class and questioned one by one”. “And they don’t even need a signed parental release for that,” she laments.
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