Florida Republicans Are Going After Flags Now

Over the last few years, Florida Republicans, with the encouragement of Governor Ron DeSantis, have gone on something of a banning spree. They’ve banned books. They’ve banned AP African American studies. They’ve banned DEI programs in public colleges. They’ve banned abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. They’ve banned the mention of gender identity and sexual orientation through 12th grade. They’ve banned ESG investments. They’ve basically banned acknowledging racism and they have, somehow, scared at least one school district into thinking they’ve banned dictionaries.

At this point you might think there was precious little left to ban, but to think that would be to underestimate Florida Republicans. They have a long list and next on it? Certain types of flags.

Per WFLA:

A Florida bill banning “political” flags from government buildings and schools is a step closer to becoming law. Before the Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee on Wednesday, Rep. David Borrero (R-Miami-Dade) presented his bill, HB-901. Borrero kicked off the lengthy discussion with claims Florida’s school children are being “evangelized” and “subliminally indoctrinated with critical race theory, Marxism and transgender ideology.”

If passed, the bill would prohibit the display of “flags that represent a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint.” The POW-MIA flag, the Firefighter Memorial flag and the Honor and Remember flag would still be permitted to fly alongside the U.S. and Florida state flags. When asked by Rep. Lindsay Cross (D-Pinellas) to clarify how race and gender are political viewpoints, Borrero cited a paraphrased version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “political.”

“I still don’t see how someone’s race or gender is political,” Cross reportedly responded, to which Borrero again cited the dictionary definition. “Would that be the same dictionary that’s being banned at our public schools?” Cross asked.

While the bill would theoretically ban, say, the flying of a Trump flag, it seems somewhat hard to believe that the GOP lawmakers pushing this bill would enforce that aspect. Last year, a judge dismissed a lawsuit from a Florida parent who had sued a Palm Beach County school over hanging pride flags in the classroom, saying, “There is nothing in state law or the rules and regulations governing the board which imposes limits on its authority regarding the display of flags or addressing social issues in a seventh-grade classroom.”

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