Politics
‘Soul craft:’ Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill allowing volunteer chaplains in Florida schools
Volunteer chaplains will be allowed in Florida schools to offer support to students under a new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday.
HB 931 establishes a statewide school chaplain program and gives school districts and charter schools to power to allow volunteer chaplains on school campuses to provide counseling to children.
“You got a lot of these problems that kids go through. There are some students where they need some soul craft. And that can make all the difference in the world. So these chaplains will be able to come and provide services,” DeSantis said during a bill signing at Tohopekaliga High School in Kissimmee.
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The law requires Florida school districts to decide by Jan. 1 of next year if they’ll allow volunteer chaplains to visit campuses. Parents must then provide written consent for their children to receive services.
In addition, school districts must provide a list of volunteer chaplains, including their religious affiliation, on their district’s website.
“You have a right to come and offer these services. It’s totally voluntary for a parent or a student to participate. No one is being forced to do anything. But to exclude religious groups from campus, that is discrimination,” DeSantis said.
Opponents argued there’s no place for chaplains in schools, especially when there’s no requirement that they be trained in psychology or to work with children.
“The minute that you try to put your religion upon other people, thats when it becomes a problem. And as a member of a minority religion, I feel it every day. And it makes me so uncomfortable,” Democratic Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, who is Jewish, said after the Florida Legislature passed the bill in March. “To me, religion is something you choose to do with your family after school.”
By: Matt Papaycik
Title: ‘Soul craft:’ Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill allowing volunteer chaplains in Florida schools
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/news/education/soul-craft-gov-ron-desantis-signs-bill-allowing-volunteer-chaplains-in-florida-schools
Published Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:06:12 GMT
In a matter of hours, reproductive health care in Florida will change dramatically.
The state’s six-week abortion ban takes effect Wednesday. It’s a point when many women don’t even know they are pregnant.
At Planned Parenthood in West Palm Beach, leaders say their staff will stay as late as needed to make sure every patient on the schedule is seen until the clock strikes midnight and everything changes.
Michelle Quesada, the Planned Parenthood vice president of communications for southeast and north Florida, said it was a somber mood inside the clinic Tuesday. “It’s tragic, it’s frustrating knowing our staff has the skills and capabilities and resources to offer this care, but the law says we can’t, and politicians without medical degrees are making these decisions and they are not the ones in the exam rooms with the patients,” she said. “We have staff that are very compassionate with their patients, they care about their job, and they care about what’s happening with reproductive health care so it’s a really sad time.”
Quesada added, “Even today we’ve already had patients that if they are beyond six weeks today, day one consultation, when they return 24 hours for their second consultation they are too far along, and we will not be able to offer that care.” She said they rearranged schedules to move up appointments from May to April. “It’s been a very challenging time but it was important we moved those patients up to April, so they had enough time to make the right decision for themselves.”
As of May 1, the six-week abortion ban will be in effect with certain exceptions.
According to the law, “Two physicians must certify in writing that, in reasonable medical judgment, the termination of the pregnancy is necessary to save the pregnant womans life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman other than a psychological condition.”
It also states there is an exception if, “the pregnancy has not progressed to the third trimester, fetus has not achieved viability under s. 390.01112 and two physicians certify in writing that, in reasonable medical judgment, the fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality.” Or if “the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, or human trafficking and the gestational age of the fetus is not more than 15 weeks as determined by the physician. At the time the woman schedules or arrives for her appointment to obtain the abortion, she must provide a copy of a restraining order, police report, medical record, or other court order or documentation providing evidence that she is obtaining the termination of pregnancy because she is a victim of rape, incest, or human trafficking.”
Dr. Grazie Christie, a South Florida radiologist working with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the Heartbeat Protection Act, as it’s known, will do just that. “I don’t like to think of this as a ban. I like to think of it as protection. And that’s because these patients of mine that are very small inside their moms are just as much patients to me as their moms. They are dignified, they are human,” she said. “If an elective abortion is going to be performed, it shouldn’t be performed later.”
Christie added that “it’s very rare to find a mother or father say ‘if only I had been able to abort my child.’ I’ve never heard a parent say that. … Expectant moms are going to find their health care in relation to their pregnancy isn’t going to change. We treat the baby and the mother as dignified important patients to us, so nothing really is going to change except elective abortions.”
While supporters are glad to see this take effect, opponents hope it’s only temporary, as Florida voters head to the polls in November and can choose to return Florida abortion laws to about 24 weeks.
By: Stephanie Susskind
Title: ‘Terrifying new normal:’ Planned Parenthood faces 6-week abortion ban Wednesday
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/news/state/terrifying-new-normal-planned-parenthood-faces-6-week-abortion-ban-wednesday
Published Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2024 21:36:31 GMT
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https://www.news4palmbeach.com/politics/desantis-attends-naming-of-william-r-laurie-field-at-american-heritage-school-2/
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday attended the ceremonial naming of the football stadium at American Heritage School in Delray Beach.
William R. Laurie Field is named after the CEO and founder of American Heritage Schools, which has locations in Delray Beach and Plantation.
Laurie, who was in attendance at Monday’s dedication, founded American Heritage Schools in 1965. American Heritage has “grown to become the top private school in the nation for academic excellence,” according to its website.
“American Heritage has been recognized as being No. 1 among all private schools for producing National Merit Scholars, including 15 among the class of 2024,” DeSantis said.
Laurie spoke with WPTV about what the announcement means to him.
“I am overwhelmed with some of the comments that were made, but so much of it, I have to say, were the people that were working with me all these 60 years,” Laurie said. “Each and every one of them has been a very positive part of my success and our success in Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties. When you find something that you love, you are very, very fortunate in this world. So many people go through their lives and never find something they love no matter whether it’s a low-paying job or a high-paying job. That’s what’s important to find your likeness, your love for something.”
He said having the field bear his name is something the 94-year-old has hoped for.
“I’ve wanted the field named after me because it’s meant so much to me from my playing football days in high school to watching college football and developing the football program here,” Laurie said.
By: Matt Papaycik
Title: DeSantis attends naming of William R. Laurie Field at American Heritage School
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/sports/local-sports/high-school/desantis-attends-naming-of-william-r-laurie-field-at-american-heritage-school
Published Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:07:11 GMT
Politics
Florida ‘will not comply’ with new protections for transgender students in Title IX, Gov. Ron DeSantis says
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state “will not comply” with new changes to Title IX by the Biden administration, which offers added protections for transgender students.
“Florida rejects Joe Biden’s attempt to rewrite Title IX,” DeSantis said in Thursday in a post on X. “We will not comply, and we will fight back.”
A new rule unveiled by the Biden administration on April 19 blocks blanket policies that would prevent transgender students from using school bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
A nearly 1,600-page document outlines the new rules for any school that receives federal funding. It explains how discrimination based on sex also includes discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The rule makes it “crystal clear that everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.
“No one should face bullying or discrimination just because of who they are, who they love,” Cardona told reporters on April 19. “Sadly, this happens all too often.”
The changes take effect in early August.
However, in a letter to school district superintendents and charter school leaders this week, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz told them not to begin implementing any changes because “Florida will fight this.” He wrote, “In Florida, we respect parents’ rights to direct their children’s education. We protect our students’ safety and privacy.”
Read the full letter from Diaz to school leaders:
Last August, the Florida Board of Education approved a rule that prohibits someone from willfully entering a restroom or changing area of the opposite sex, specifically in Florida’s colleges and universities.
“We are not gonna let Joe Biden try to inject men into women’s activities,” DeSantis said Thursday on X. “We are not gonna let Joe Biden undermine the rights of parents. And we are not gonna let Joe Biden abuse his constitutional authority to try to impose these policies on us here in Florida.”
Jon Harris Maurer, the public policy director for Equality Florida, supports the move by the federal government.
“We’ve been waiting for these rules for some time, and we’re excited to see rules to affirm what we’ve long understood that these regulations protect LGBTQ students including transgender students,” Maurer said.
While Maurer said the group was excited to see the new Title IX regulations, they were not surprised to see DeSantis take a stand against them.
“What we see is the governor now playing cruel politics that will hold hostage students across the state who risk their education funding at the federal level because of these challenges,” Maurer said.
He said Equality Florida will continue to fight to make sure parents and students understand their rights.
Legal challenges are expected to pile on from Florida and other states.
Schools could lose federal funding if they are not in compliance, but it’s not clear if the federal government would exercise that ability. It is also not yet decided how this will impact athletics. The Department of Education said it is still going through the rulemaking process on that front.
Andrew Spar, the president of the Florida Education Association, provided the following statement to WPTV:
“Every student in Florida deserves a world-class education. When elected officials decide to place their political agendas ahead of students in Florida and ignore federal protections meant to keep students safe, students lose out. We know that in order for students to learn in a classroom, they must feel safe in their schools. At the Florida Education Association, we remain committed to working with our statewide partners to ensure every student can learn, grow, and thrive in our classrooms and that every educator has the ability to advocate for their students, and fight for better lives for themselves and their loved ones.” By: Matt Papaycik
Title: Florida ‘will not comply’ with new protections for transgender students in Title IX, Gov. Ron DeSantis says
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/news/state/florida-will-not-comply-with-new-protections-for-transgender-students-in-title-ix-governor-says
Published Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:43:58 GMT
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