One Florida Teacher Is Under Investigation Over a Disney Movie

A Florida teacher showed a Disney movie in her classroom. Now she faces an investigation by the Department of Education and potentially ruinous ramifications.

A Disney Movie Shown in Class

First-year Hernando County teacher Jenna Barbee did what many teachers do after a round of state testing ends. She showed a 5th-grade class a Disney movie. According to Barbree, she wanted to give them a break after testing. She claims that she had sent home permission slips earlier in the year to show movies carrying a PG rating.

However, one parent, Shannon Rodriguez, who is also a member of the Hernando County School District’s Board of Education, found out about the movie and promptly filed a complaint about the incident. The parent claimed the teacher did not get the specified movie approved by the school’s administration, which is a violation of school policy.

Barbee has admitted publicly to showing the movie, both to the press and to social media. She claims that she had no idea that her school policy requires teachers to have specific films approved by the school’s administration. She thought the permission slips were enough.

Regardless, the lack of administrative permission is not the only issue. The complaint did not stop at the school level. Due to the nature of the film in question, the matter went before the Florida Department of Education.

After review, the state Board of Education agreed that the complaint warrants investigation. Now the teacher faces an investigation from the Florida Department of Education for showing the movie to the students.

The Movie that Launched the Investigation

The Disney movie that led to the investigation is Strange World. It is an animated film that debuted in 2022.

The teacher stated that she selected Strange World because it incorporates topics such as ecosystems and Earth science, which tie in with the science curriculum in 5th-grade classrooms in Florida. She also pointed out that the movie has themes in keeping with Florida’s character standards such as overcoming differences, communication, and spreading kindness.

However, Strange World contains a subplot where the 16-year-old male lead discusses having a crush on another male character. This portion of the movie is what compelled the parent to launch the complaint. It potentially violates Florida’s HB 1557.

Many readers already know that in March of 2022, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557, which is officially known as the “Parental Rights in Education” bill. Opponents of the bill refer to it as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Among other things, the bill places limits on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.

It states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

The pending investigation could potentially support the notion that showing Strange World to 5th-grade students violates this bill. It is possible that a teacher who is found in violation of the bill can have their certificate suspended or revoked. However, the investigation is still in progress, and the Department of Education does not comment on pending investigations.

The conclusion of the investigation is still uncertain. What is certain is that the school district has responded to the complaint.

The School District Responds

District personnel sent a letter to the parents/guardians of the students. It reads, “Yesterday, the Disney movie ‘Strange World’ was shown in your child’s classroom. While not the main plot of the movie, parts of the story involve a male character having and expressing feelings for another male character. In the future, this movie will not be shown. The school administration and the district’s Professional Standards Dept are currently reviewing the matter to see if further corrective action is required.”

Rodriguez, the parent/board member who filed the complaint, defended her complaint. According to ABC Action News, she stated, “As a parent, it’s my job to teach my child about the birds and the bees in relationships. And for me to decide at what age I want to embark on those conversations. But not following policy and procedure, Ms. Barbee stripped me of my right as a parent to have those conversations prematurely.”

Barbee stated that she did apologize to Rodrigez because she does not want any student to be uncomfortable. She said, “I had no idea it was going to be a big deal.” She took to TikTok stating, “Is a character in the movie LGBTQ? Absolutely. Is that why I showed it? No.”

However, none of this changes the fact that an investigation is underway that could determine whether showing Strange World to 5th graders is indeed a violation. Students have already reportedly already been questioned regarding the matter. How will it turn out? Only time will tell.

Of course, HB 1557 is also the bill that stirred the legal battle brewing between Disney and Ron Desantis.

A Florida teacher is under investigation after showing Strange World to a class of 5th graders.

What are your thoughts on the investigation? Let us know in the comments.

Source: ABC Action News