Florida Teacher Under Investigation for Showing Disney Movie with Gay Character

Teaching Goes Under Fire

NBC 6- A Florida teacher claims she’s being investigated by the state’s department of education for showing her class a Disney movie with a gay character.

Jenna Barbee, a fifth-grade teacher in Hernando County, said a school board member and parents reported her to the Florida Department of Education for showing students the movie “Strange World.”

The 2022 animated movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal and is Disney’s first with an openly gay character.

Background and Context

Barbee said the movie tied in with her “Earth Science” class and didn’t have any sexually inappropriate content.

“None of my students cared or batted an eye, they didn’t even know this was a big deal until the board member and the state made it a big deal,” she said. “They’re using it against me saying they’re protecting the children and it’s for their safety, but what is this actually showing them.”

Barbee said every student in her class had a signed parent permission slip that said PG movies were allowed.

Legal Context

Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by critics, bans classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity.

Conclusion

This incident highlights the ongoing debate around LGBTQ+ representation in education and the limitations imposed by laws such as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

FAQs

* Why was the teacher reported to the Florida Department of Education?
+ The teacher reported that a school board member and parents filed a complaint against her for showing a Disney movie with a gay character.
* What was the movie that was shown in class?
+ The movie was “Strange World,” a 2022 animated Disney film with an openly gay character.
* Did the students show any reaction to the movie?
+ According to the teacher, none of the students were disturbed or showed any negative reaction to the movie.