DeSantis’s diversity survey met with backlash
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaking at the 2021 Student Actions Summit. (Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore.)

DeSantis’s diversity survey met with backlash

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s “diversity” survey was first introduced in Sept. 2021 in an attempt to receive more information regarding “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity,” earning it the nickname of  the “diversity survey” within Florida institutions—and the results reveal a lack of participation from students,…

0 Comments
DeSantis challenges Disney: what does that mean for Floridians?
Ron DeSantis depicted in front of Disney's EPCOT. (Image courtesy of author Caspian Rizzo.)

DeSantis challenges Disney: what does that mean for Floridians?

On Apr. 22, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, rising Republican star (and Catalyst regular) fired the first opening salvo in what might become an extended legal battle between his administration and the Walt Disney Corporation by dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), essentially a county…

0 Comments
Textbooks rejected by the Florida Department of Education for including Critical Race Theory and Social Emotional Learning
71% of textbooks for grades K-5 were designated to not be up to Florida's standards. Photo courtesy of Arthur Krijgsman on Pexels.

Textbooks rejected by the Florida Department of Education for including Critical Race Theory and Social Emotional Learning

The Florida Department of Education (DOE), under Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced on Apr. 15 that they have rejected 41% of the submitted text books for K-12 math curriculum citing Critical Race Theory (CRT), inclusion of Common Core and addition of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in…

0 Comments
Florida legislature to vote on DeSantis’ redistricting map
DeSantis' proposed redistricted congressional map. (Image courtesy of WUSF Public Media.)

Florida legislature to vote on DeSantis’ redistricting map

On Mar. 29, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed recently proposed congressional map CS/SB 102—which would have redistricted the state’s congressional districts in accordance with the 2020 United States Decennial Census—and that had already been approved by the state’s legislature. In a veto transmittal letter, DeSantis…

0 Comments
Recapping DeSantis’ recent legislation and presidential aspirations
Ron DeSantis has spearheaded several bills recently focused on strengthening parental rights and undermining the rights of public schools. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Recapping DeSantis’ recent legislation and presidential aspirations

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has, in the past few years, gone from an otherwise irrelevant local politician to the golden boy of the far-right. Seemingly a shoe-in for the Republican presidential candidate, DeSantis has been lifted up to the national stage recently, and his most…

0 Comments
15-week abortion ban to be passed by DeSantis
Planned Parenthood "Stop the Bans" sign hanging in their booth at Manatee Pride 2022.

15-week abortion ban to be passed by DeSantis

Since 1973, American women have had the constitutional right under federal law to seek an abortion within 24 weeks of pregnancy. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case in Mississippi—known as Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Clinic—where the Republican majority favored shortening the period…

0 Comments
“Putting Parents First Adjustment” causes Sarasota to lose $12.6 million
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praises State Representative Randy Fine and the House of Representatives for upholding his decision.

“Putting Parents First Adjustment” causes Sarasota to lose $12.6 million

On Feb. 15, Sarasota lawmakers—along with the rest of the Republicans in the Florida House of Representatives—passed the “Putting Parents First Adjustment.” How it puts the parents first, exactly, is unclear, but what isn’t is the point of this seemingly minute adjustment to the state…

0 Comments
New Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo likely to be loyal to DeSantis’ coronavirus approaches
Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo standing with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

New Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo likely to be loyal to DeSantis’ coronavirus approaches

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has found a replacement for Dr. Scott Rivkees—whose contract as Florida Surgeon General recently expired—in Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a proponent of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, and an opponent of masks, vaccine mandates and lockdowns. As Florida Surgeon General, Ladapo will have primary…

0 Comments