Florida’s State Board of Education on Wednesday will consider adopting a wide-ranging overhaul of curriculum standards across multiple subjects in public schools, including guidelines for teaching civics and government courses and Holocaust education.
The proposed revision of social studies standards comes after a series of moves by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature aimed at emphasizing patriotism in civics instruction. DeSantis on Tuesday visited an Orlando charter school to tout 106 million dollars toward civics education initiatives, including boosting training for teachers in civics instruction with the promise of a 3,000 dollar bonus from the state for educators who complete it. “It doesn’t matter whether some will go into business or medicine or construction or hospitality, but everyone is going to be called upon to exercise the duties of citizenship.” DeSantis says the money for the civics initiative will come from federal coronavirus relief funds. Lawmakers passed two civics education bills during the legislative session that ended April 30th, including one measure requiring state college and university students to take a civic literacy course and exam as a graduation requirement.
Florida School Standards Targeted for Revision
