How Florida teachers are resisting new “anti-learning” laws

This week, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed yet another bill targeting the state’s education system into law. In this case, the law will defund state college programs that encourage diversity in higher education and limit the discussion of race in many courses.

Under his leadership, Florida has become the epicentre of the culture war in America — a struggle that often focuses on classrooms and public education.

According to PEN America, to comply with new laws this year, some Florida schools were directed to empty libraries and cover classroom bookshelves. Teachers were told they had to have each book in their classrooms reviewed before they could go back. Martin County removed dozens of books after they were objected to by one person.

Among the banned books in Florida is The Handmaid’s Tale by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood.

On this episode of one of our favourite podcasts, Front Burner, guest host Matthew Amha speaks with Alex Ingram, a high school teacher who taught in Jacksonville, Florida, for a decade, before deciding that teaching there had become untenable.

You can listen to the podcast below, or read the transcript.