Thread by @Judi_G_Hayes

So, yesterday I filed a lawsuit against Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, over his executive order that strips from local school districts the authority to make reasonable rules protecting the health and safety of our kids. It’s a little more nuanced but that’s the gist

2/ I’m a mom of two great kids, they go to school in the same district I did back in the day. I moved to Florida in 1978 and graduated from high school in 1990. I’m a product of public education and a huge advocate of it. I went to a public college and law school (go @Seminoles!)

3/ My kids are 13 and 10. My 13YO is brilliant and clever and brave, he’s funny and loves @Wizards_DnD and @LEGO_Group and @Marvel and @starwars. He’s an awesome big brother. (Super cute, too)

4/ my little guy is equally awesome. He’s 10 and he has #DownSyndrome and he loves Blue’s Clues and Captain America and tacos. The coolest guy I know. Lights up a room.

5/ I’m fighting for these kids. They stayed home all last year and the big guy knocked it out of the park, straight As, won the spelling bee, student government. Little guy, not so great. But we made it. And were looking forward to going back in person this year.

6/ But now that Florida is ON FIRE, it isn’t safe for the little dude. The big one got vaxxed as soon as humanly possible, he’s good. But he worries about his brother. He came with me to speak before the school board about it in June and I couldn’t be prouder of him.

7/ Unfortunately, it didn’t work. The board voted to rescind the mask mandate and that means that little Bro can’t go back to school safely. There’s no other option for him; the Ed commissioner has threatened to defund any school districts offering a synchronous virtual option.

8/ Why? Good question. What would the governor and Ed commissioner be doing differently if the stated goal was to defund public education and privatize it? Not much. It’s purely vindictive and they are terrorizing families across the state. Because they can.

9/ So here we are. Me, a mild mannered mom, a private citizen, just trying to educate my kids safely, sitting here wondering when the governor’s press secretary, an actual Internet troll, will tweet that I’m fat or ugly. This is Florida now.

10/ I’m doing what I can to fight for my kids and for yours. All kids deserve a safe place to get an education. And all kids deserve a seat at the table. Whether they’re breezing through high school classes in 7th grade or they have Down syndrome.

11/ the third tweet isn’t showing up, not sure why. It’s about how awesome my big kid is. He’s funny and clever and brave and I’ve loved every second of being his mom. He plays D&D and is into Legos and Marvel and video games and he’s the best big brother ever.