DeSantis Indoctrination Begins
State education officials have approved content from the conservative nonprofit PragerU to be shown in Florida schools as “supplemental teaching materials.”
- PragerU is Prager University, and short for Prager University Foundation. It’s no an academic institution and does not confer degrees.
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- PragerU was founded in 2009 by the conservative radio host Dennis Prager. The company also produced the documentary, Unwoke Inc.
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Why this matters: Florida is the first state to allow PragerU content in the its classrooms.
Cassandra Palelis, deputy director of communications for the state education department, told The News Service of Florida:
“The Florida Department of Education reviewed PragerU Kids and determined the material aligns to Florida’s revised civics and government standards. PragerU Kids is no different than many other resources, which can be used as supplemental materials in Florida schools at district discretion.”
How the Department of Education selected the right-wing video channel is a mystery. Palelis says PragerU didn’t submit a bid.
- Historians and political scientists have also criticized PragerU’s videos for containing misleading or inaccurate claims about topics such as slavery and racism in the United States, immigration, and the history of fascism. PragerU has also been accused of promoting anti-LGBTQ politics. Read Wikipedia.
Dig Deeper: From The News Service of Florida:
A news release sent Monday on behalf of PragerU, which produces video content featuring prominent conservative figures, said that its PragerU Kids content would be introduced “in schools across America” as an educational resource.
“Florida was the first state to officially approve PragerU’s new K-12 curriculum,” an initial version of the release said. A revised version of the release issued later said that Florida approved PragerU “as an educational vendor.”
Cassandra Palelis, deputy director of communications for the state education department, told The News Service of Florida that the PragerU content has been approved for use as supplemental teaching materials.
“The Florida Department of Education reviewed PragerU Kids and determined the material aligns to Florida’s revised civics and government standards. PragerU Kids is no different than many other resources, which can be used as supplemental materials in Florida schools at district discretion,” Palelis said in an email.
However, she added that PragerU Kids “did not submit a bid to be included in the 2022-23 instructional materials adoption for social studies.”
PragerU was founded in 2011 by conservative radio host Dennis Prager. The PragerU Kids content features videos that cover topics such as historical events and figures, religious and Biblical stories, and America’s system of government. Descriptions of the content on the PragerU website bill it as “the leading network with educational, entertaining, pro-American kids shows for every grade.”
The site has a link asking people to sign a petition to get PragerU content into the country’s schools. “PragerU is trying to help America’s students — but the left (which has hijacked and controlled the education system, including teachers unions) is doing everything in its power to label us as ‘far right,’ deplatform us, and keep PragerU out of schools,” the website said.
National Night Out
Santa Rosa County – thanks to the Florida Department of Health and CDAC – is hosting the 2023 National Night Out, a community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships, at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1, at the Clyde L. Gracey Community Center, 5629 Byrom Street in Milton.
What about Escambia County? In the past, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office led the effort along with the Pensacola Police Department,City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation and the Community Drug and Alcohol Council, Inc. (CDAC) at Legion Field.
However, Sheriff Chip Simmons and his posse last year chose to do it in October at the Marie Young Community Center in Wedgewood.
- There is nothing on the City of Pensacola and Escambia County’s calendars. The Sheriff’s Office doesn’t have an events calendar and the last press release is from June about accreditation.
More on Santa Rosa National Night Out:
“We are excited to sponsor this year’s Santa Rosa National Night Out,” said Vince Nguyen, Health Educator Consultant with DOH-Santa Rosa. “This event will provide a great opportunity for families to spend time together and enhance relationships with neighbors and law enforcement in the local community. We hope everyone will come and enjoy the festivities.”
The event will include over 30 vendors with activities for children, public safety personnel with vehicles, displays, and free school supplies. While supplies last, local partners will provide educational materials and promotional items along with the school supplies for participants.
To learn more about the National Night Out, please visit NATW.org.
Yesterday’s ‘Real News’
Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, White House reporter Karen Travers, parent Scott Satterwhite, and Community Health Outreach manager Reggie Dogan.
