January 2023

The State of Education, in "the free state of Florida."

What's Different This Time

DTG: 06:37 Sunday, 29 January 2023

Local Duval County Public Schools teacher Gregory Sampson explains how the Republican assault on free speech and free thought is different this time. Nobody gets to read a book until the state approves it.

DTG: 06:35 Sunday, 29 January 2023

We've entered Fahrenheit 451.

DTG: 07:34 Friday, 27 January 2023

A Palm Beach Post article outlines the criteria for textbook exclusion on the basis of "indoctrination." (Read the piece in Reader View, it's easier.)

As if this sanitized, white-washed version of history isn't indoctrination itself.

Florida Power and "Light"

DTG: 11:05 Thursday, 26 January 2023

Florida's eponymous power utility announced the surprise retirement of its CEO, Eric Silagy.

This commentary from Florida Times-Union columnist Nate Monroe offers background and context on the announcement.

Much of what Florida Power and Light does to achieve its profit and political goals must, of necessity, take place in the darkness.

After a generation of one-party governance, a pervasive and persistent Republican political monoculture, like a fungus you can't eradicate, Florida is becoming a failed state.

DTG: 07:57 Thursday, 26 January 2023

Florida accounted for 20% of the nation's new enrollments in Obamacare last year. 3.2M Floridians signed up, a new record. 426,000 Floridians remain without any health insurance because Florida's Republican legislature won't expand Medicaid.

DTG: 09:15 Saturday, 21 January 2023

With regard to the preceding post, it may be later than anyone thinks.

DTG: 09:08 Saturday, 21 January 2023

If you're one of the lucky few people who thinks in terms of "generational wealth," and is looking at property in Florida, you may want to review your Florida property portfolio.

It's later than you think.

DTG: 08:41 Saturday, 21 January 2023

To be fair, Ron DeSantis is merely a symptom, the logical consequence of a political monoculture where accountability is a concept and never a consequence. A monoculture that encourages corruption and rewards people's worst political instincts.

Darkness grows in the Sunshine State.

DTG: 08:34 Saturday, 21 January 2023

Folks considering moving to Jacksonville, Florida's largest city, might want to listen to this most recent episode of a local news/commentary program, First Coast Connect. Get a sense for how well this place is governed.

Spoiler alert: Not well at all.

DTG: 08:17 Saturday, 21 January 2023

Roughly 1K people move to Florida every day. Probably for "no state income tax," and the climate (for now, anyway). Maybe they should do a little due diligence to see what they're getting themselves into.

DTG: 07:28 Saturday, 21 January 2023

Over a generation of one-party Republican rule, here's a reflection of Florida's safety net under Ron DeSantis from Save the Children. (Click on Florida in the interactive map for details on its rank of 42.)

DTG: 07:15 Saturday, 21 January 2023

After more than a generation of one-party Republican rule, Florida ranks 35th in overall child well-being according the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Shows where children rank in Republicans' priorities: Somewhere in the bottom half.

DTG: 07:06 Saturday, 21 January 2023

DeSantis has had a taste of power in his first term; and now he has an insatiable appetite for it. From exploiting and abusing migrants, to removing democratically elected officials, to establishing official state dogma to replace education curricula. He's an authoritarian.

DTG: 11:27 Thursday, 19 January 2023

The chilling effect of right-wing radical Ron DeSantis' "Don't say gay" bill was on prominent display in the decision to cancel a Jacksonville high school production of the play Indecent. Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner offers important thoughts.

DTG: 10:57 Thursday, 19 January 2023

DeSantis is focusing on transgender students in the state university system. And we know it's not to promote their best interests.

Freedom Isn't Taken, It's Surrendered

DTG: 07:36 Monday, 9 January 2023

Gregory Sampson is a teacher in Duval County Public Schools, and he has a blog called Grumpy Old Teacher. I follow Greg on Twitter and now Mastodon (@grandgraffiti on mastodon.social)

His most recent post is about the growing chill in the Sunshine State, and it's not because winter is here.

A couple of relevant web pages:

National Coalition Against Censorship

American Civil Liberties Union

It's the cowardice of administrators, who justifiably feel as though they're under attack, that facilitates this slide into authoritarianism.

If you don't assert your rights, you don't have any.#

In Darkness, You Never See Your Shadow

DTG: 08:46 Thursday, 5 January 2023

One of the taglines I used on my old blog Groundhog Day was "It's about seeing your shadow."

Much of the blog was about my journey from darkness into light, about seeing my shadow; the parts of me that weren't serving anyone, least of all myself.

Of course, it's a bit orthogonal to the whole notion of "six more weeks of winter," since that's supposed to be the undesired outcome. But it worked for the movie, and it worked for me as well. Keep repeating the same lessons until you learn them.

Anyway, the prevailing culture, white Christian patriarchy, isn't interested in seeing its shadow, or the people it casts into darkness.

By banning books, they try to keep out the light.

Jax Today tries to let the light in by elevating other voices. Nikesha Williams is one of them, and here she shines a light on the darkness growing in Duval County Florida, aka Jacksonville.

It's Darker Here

DTG: 07:22 Wednesday, 4 January 2023

Florida has been governed by the Republican Party for a generation. Every branch of state government has been in Republican control for more than 20 years.

Today, it is ruled by one man.

Darkness descends over the "Sunshine State."

Brisk Business Banning Books

DTG: 07:17 Wednesday, 4 January 2023

Meanwhile, in next-door Duval County (go Jags!) the school district is doing King DeFascist's bidding banning books.

Not Best for Trans Kids

DTG: 07:00 Wednesday, 4 January 2023

Court backs St. Johns schools in transgender bathroom fight

Hate has a home in St Johns County too.

Bubble

DTG: 06:40 Wednesday, 4 January 2023

St. Johns County rated best for children.

St Johns County is the highest median income county in Florida, so no surprises there.

Of note, "more children are living in poverty — 14% compared with 8% in 2011-15."

Also noteworthy, "On a national basis, Florida fell in the lower half of states, ranking 35th for the third straight year."