FL’s educator preparation programs may not teach ‘identity politics’ or distort historical events

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Thursday a measure restricting curricula for educator preparation programs and courses, essentially removing theories regarding systemic racism, sexism, oppression and privilege.

The governor described HB 1291 as an effort to stop indoctrination during the bill signing ceremony in Jacksonville.

“So it’s not going to be DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). There’s not going to be any of the bogus history. It’s just going to be standard teacher preparation without having an ideological agenda, and I think that that’s something that we want to see,” he said. “Parents want to send their kids to school, knowing they’re getting an education. I don’t think they’re interested in an indoctrination. I don’t think that parents care if a teacher has a certain political cause that they care about.”

Under the measure, which goes into effect on July 1, teacher preparation programs “may not distort significant historical events or include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics, or is 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.”