Patriotic groups get support for school visits
By Ryan Dailey
News Service of Florida
A proposal that would allow certain “patriotic organizations” to speak with students in public-school classrooms got initial approval from a House panel.
The House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee last Thursday unanimously approved the bill (HB 1317), which would allow representatives from organizations deemed by federal law to be patriotic to speak with students “during school hours and instructional time” and distribute informational materials.
Under a change to the bill approved last Thursday, six specific organizations would be allowed to visit schools: Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Future Farmers of America and the Civil Air Patrol.
The Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, says on its website that it is the “premier public service organization for carrying out emergency services and disaster relief missions nationwide.”
The school visits could be used to “encourage participation in the patriotic organization and its activities and inform students of how the patriotic organization may further the students’ educational interests and civic involvement to better the students’ school and community and themselves.”
School districts also could allow the organizations to have displays at schools aimed at student recruitment. Districts that authorize visits from the organizations would be required to provide a “specific day and time for the patriotic organization to speak to students at schools within the district after the patriotic organization has provided reasonable notice of its intent to speak to students and provide displays.”
Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, voted for the measure but took issue with it not including provisions about informing parents in advance about the groups’ visits or about what the organizations would be discussing with students.
“I have a problem with that. That’s not allowing me choice, infringing upon my parental rights, to know what my children are being taught … as far as ideology,” Nixon said.
Rep. Lisa Dunkley, D-Sunrise, said that her experience as a veteran talking to young people is a reason she supported the bill.
“What I see happening here in this bill is that we’re trying to use some organizations like these to share information about what our lived experiences are, and how we can help to foster some broader thinking on our children after going through their school processes,” Dunkley said.
The measure got pushback from the Rev. James Golden, a former Manatee County School Board member and co-founder of the group Pastors for Florida Children. Golden, who is a veteran, said he has “seen how much hurt we inflict on each other because of our different views of what patriotism is.”
“I’m an old man. I grew up when we taught reading, writing, arithmetic,” Golden told the House panel. “I’m concerned that we are expanding the requirement of quality public education to allow nothing less than indoctrination.”
But bill sponsor Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, responded to the criticisms of the bill.
“I disagree with the speaker’s testimony as to the impact of this legislation. It’s entirely in keeping with the requirements of Florida law for K-12 education,” Duggan said.
The bill would need approval from the House Education and Employment Committee before it could be considered by the House.
A similar Senate bill (SB 1016) got initial approval last Tuesday from the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee.
