THREAD: There was backlash to the backlash at a heated school board hearing in Florida’s deep-red Hernando County on Tuesday.
You should see what teachers, students, and parents said about right-wing culture wars and anti-LGBTQ policies that are driving some educators to quit.
“I have never seen such fear from my colleagues as I’ve seen in the last two months.”
— Social studies teacher Victoria Hunt says “the culture that has been created” in Hernando County, Florida, is driving teachers to leave “the county, the state, or the profession altogether.”
Parent at the Hernando County, Florida, school board hearing Tuesday: “I’m appalled by how many gay people are here.”
*Crowd cheers*
“How are we supposed to get an unbiased education when the teachers are walking on eggshells? ... I am so scared for the future if our teachers, our mentors, are being silenced.”
— Student condemns right-wing attacks on teachers at Hernando County, Florida, school board hearing
A student slams the Hernando County, Florida, school board for anti-LGBTQ attacks:
“You ... have alienated and made us feel as if our entire existence is an issue to you. My existence should not be an issue to you. But come next election season, my vote will be.”
“These clearly anti-queer laws and legislation surrounding the school board … leads to kids like me killing themselves … I’m not up here to turn your kids transgender, I’m not contagious. I’m up here to tell the school board to do better.”
— Student in Hernando County, Florida
“If keeping children innocent is the goal, I suggest that this board remove the Bible from the board’s approved materials list because it’s loaded with stories of cruelty and violence, rape, murder …”
— Sandy Roth, a child advocate volunteer in Hernando County, Florida
The heated Hernando County school board hearing came as nearly 50 teachers in the school district are reportedly planning to resign, protesting right-wing attacks they’re facing in the wake of Florida passing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-FL) “Don’t Say Gay” law. washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/…
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