Woke Wars Episode 8: How free is the free state of Florida? | Opinion
Florida is all about being free these days, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
He can’t say it often enough, it seems. He wrote a book he called “The Courage to be Free.” He’s called the state a “citadel of freedom.” His budget is called a “framework of freedom.” His inauguration speech used the word “freedom” 12 times — and the speech was only about 16 minutes long.
But his words run counter to a lot of his actions and the actions of the state Legislature as they hand him as many “wins” as possible before he officially declares he’s running for president. They’re imposing all sorts of restrictions on freedom in Florida. From abortion and free speech — just ask Disney — to what’s taught in public schools, DeSantis and the Republicans running the state are intent on curtailing some rights to favor others.
The so-called “Parental Rights in Education Act,” for example, elevates the rights of some parents — those who fear or are angered by the idea of teachers discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in schools — over all others. The bill nicknamed by critics as “Don’t say gay” started as a restriction on what’s taught in kindergarten through third grade and most recently has been imposed — via a Department of Education rule, rather than legislation — on students all the way through 12th grade.
And public records exemptions in Florida continue to grow. DeSantis wants to keep his travel a secret from his own constituents by blowing a plane-sized hole in the public records law. The ostensible reason is his safety but he also wants to extend that change retroactively to all records dealing with his use of the state plane. In the past, the public has been able to see whether a governor or top official had misused state resources. Under this bill, we’ll never know — and the governor will get a virtual open checkbook for travel on our dime.
The freedom he’s defending in that case is his own, to do whatever he wants without public scrutiny.
The way things are going, it may be time to drop our Sunshine State nickname. Lawmakers are making a mockery of Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine law.
DeSantis has recently run into headwinds nationally, as his positions become more widely vetted in preparation for a potential White House run. His “freedom” pitch may sound good in speeches but, on closer inspection, it falls apart.
Woke Wars, a weekly opinion podcast by the Miami Herald Editorial Board, explores the culture wars that are dominating the Florida Legislature. Listen to new episodes every Thursday on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question? Want to share some feedback? Email heralded@miamiherald.com with the subject line WOKE WARS.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 5:00 AM.