Florida is swamped by disease outbreaks as quackery replaces science The state is in the grip of a measles outbreak, yet Joseph Ladapo, the surgeon general, continues to ignore medical science to stop it
Richard Luscombe in Miami
Sun 3 Mar 2024 14.00 CET
Shortly before Joseph Ladapo was sworn in as Florida’s surgeon general in 2022, the New Yorker ran a short column welcoming the vaccine-skeptic doctor to his new role, and highlighting his advocacy for the use of leeches in public health.
It was satire of course, a teasing of the Harvard-educated physician for his unorthodox medical views, which include a steadfast belief that life-saving Covid shots are the work of the devil, and that opening a window is the preferred treatment for the inhalation of toxic fumes from gas stoves.
But now, with an entirely preventable outbreak of measles spreading across Florida, medical experts are questioning if quackery really has become official health policy in the nation’s third most-populous state.
As the highly contagious disease raged in a Broward county elementary school, Ladapo, a politically appointed acolyte of Florida’s far-right governor Ron DeSantis, wrote to parents telling them it was perfectly fine for parents to continue to send in their unvaccinated children.
“The surgeon general is Ron DeSantis’s lapdog, and says whatever DeSantis wants him to say,” said Dr Robert Speth, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at south Florida’s Nova Southeastern University with more than four decades of research experience.
“His statements are more political than medical and that’s a horrible disservice to the citizens of Florida. He’s somebody whose job is to protect public health, and he’s doing the exact opposite.”
Ladapo’s advice deferring to parents or guardians a decision about school attendance directly contradicts the official recommendation of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which calls for a 21-day period of quarantine for anybody without a history of prior infection or immunization.
It is also in keeping with Ladapo’s previous maverick proclamations about vaccines that health professionals say pose an unacceptable danger to the health of Florida residents. They include official guidance to shun mRNA Covid-19 boosters based on easily disprovable conspiracy theories that the shots alter human DNA and can potentially cause cancer – “scientific nonsense” in the view of Dr Ashish Jha, a former White House Covid response coordinator.
jcolvin2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 4:24 pm
Today, the Eleventh Circuit ruled that Florida's ban on mandatory DEI training by private companies violated the First Amendment.
Honeyfund-Com v Florida (1st Am bars ban on employer DEI training) CA11 2024-03-04.pdf
Wow that's good to hear. I was seeing a lot of call for athletes to think twice about going there. Not sure if the portal is closed yet or what. I did get in a stupid x arguments with someone about this. This ruling sure seems to have come quickly.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 7:26 am
by RTH10260
Ron DeSantis’s next chapter in book bans backlash? Blame someone else The Florida governor has blamed the chaos over legislation he signed on teachers, librarians, political rivals – and now school principals
Richard Luscombe in Miami
Tue 12 Mar 2024 13.00 CET
In the two years since Ron DeSantis signed legislation sparking a tidal wave of book-banning in Florida’s classrooms, the Republican governor has blamed the ensuing chaos on a succession of foils – including teachers, librarians, the news media and political opponents.
Now, another group has joined those in his crosshairs: school principals. A proposed new rule by an education standards committee led by a DeSantis loyalist seeks to impose penalties on administrators deemed to have obstructed the state’s view of what students should be reading.
The rule was pitched by Randy Kosec, head of the professional practices office that investigates educator misconduct, earlier this month after the governor requested officials to “fine-tune” the process by which books are challenged in schools.
It would introduce possible sanctions or other penalties to principals who prevent, or allow others to prevent, students’ access to unspecified “educational materials”.
DeSantis’s education commissioner, Manny Diaz, and a handpicked board of education will discuss the proposal’s merits next month, although critics have already made up their minds. They say the move to target administrators is an effort to blunt a growing backlash to Florida’s nation-leading crusade to remove books it considers inappropriate because of sexual or race-related content, and the latest finger-pointing by DeSantis for a mess of his own making.
The governor conceded last month that “bad actors”, such as the far-right Moms for Liberty group, had taken advantage of his parental rights in education act to file “frivolous challenges” that were swamping school districts.
“This is another scapegoating, but at the end of the day it’s an admission by this administration that they know there’s a problem,” said Katie Blankenship, Florida director of PEN America, which recorded 1,406 book ban incidents in the state in the 2022 school year, 40% of the national total.
“Book bans in our state have spiraled out of control and DeSantis and Diaz know it. Their actual job would be to fix the bill, but using this ‘it’s not our fault’ scapegoating, it’s not addressing the harm the law is doing.”
Blankenship and others believe DeSantis, whose extremist agenda failed to gain traction during his failed presidential campaign, has become sensitive to headlines pointing out the damaging effects of book removals, as well as his perceived hypocrisy.
the state’s view of what students should be reading
Could have been lifted from a dystopian fiction we'd have read as kids and said, nah, can't happen here.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:43 am
by sugar magnolia
It would introduce possible sanctions or other penalties to principals who prevent, or allow others to prevent, students' access to unspecified "educational materials."
That sounds like the exact opposite of what they want.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:33 pm
by raison de arizona
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill that bans children under 14 from having social media accounts The bill is expected to face legal challenges.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that will prohibit children younger than 14 from joining social media in the state. Those who are 14 or 15 will need a parent’s consent before they join a platform.
The bill, HB3, also directs social media companies to delete the existing accounts of those who are under 14. Companies that fail to do so could be sued on behalf of the child who creates an account on the platform. The minor could be awarded up to $10,000 in damages, according to the bill. Companies found to be in violation of the law would also be liable for up to $50,000 per violation, as well as attorney’s fees and court costs.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill that bans children under 14 from having social media accounts The bill is expected to face legal challenges.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that will prohibit children younger than 14 from joining social media in the state. Those who are 14 or 15 will need a parent’s consent before they join a platform.
The bill, HB3, also directs social media companies to delete the existing accounts of those who are under 14. Companies that fail to do so could be sued on behalf of the child who creates an account on the platform. The minor could be awarded up to $10,000 in damages, according to the bill. Companies found to be in violation of the law would also be liable for up to $50,000 per violation, as well as attorney’s fees and court costs.
I see uncle and aunts standing in for ther nieces and nephews to earn some pocket money ...
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:24 pm
by Slim Cognito
Beat me to it.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:48 pm
by RTH10260
Disney agrees to settle Florida lawsuit with special district backed by DeSantis
Published Wed, Mar 27 202410:40 AM EDTUpdated 29 Min Ago
Dan Mangan
Disney agreed to end litigation in state court involving a Florida special tourism district containing the entertainment giant.
The lawsuit was related to the takeover of the district at the behest of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after Disney had opposed the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.
“We are pleased to put an end to all litigation pending in state court in Florida between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District,” Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle said.
Disney agreed Wednesday to end litigation in state court involving a Florida special tourism district that the entertainment giant effectively controlled for more than five decades until last year after Gov. Ron DeSantis moved to revoke that status.
The settlement lifts a significant barrier to the continued development of Walt Disney World in the Orlando area and provides for the potential resolution of a related federal case.
The state lawsuit was originally filed in Orange County by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to void agreements the old district board had signed with Disney right before it was dissolved at DeSantis’ behest after Disney opposed Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill backed by the governor.
Disney in turn had asked the court to rule that the agreements, which benefited the company, were valid.
As part of the settlement of that case Wednesday, Disney agreed not to challenge the CFTOD’s determination that the prior agreements with the old Reedy Creek Improvement District were null and void.
The settlement also includes Disney’s agreement to seek permission from a federal appeals court to pause its effort to revive a dismissed retaliation lawsuit against DeSantis in Florida federal court in light of expected negotiations of a “new development deal” between the company and the district.
That clause suggests that if Disney is satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, it might drop the federal civil complaint against the Republican governor.
The CFTOD board was scheduled to meet in executive session Wednesday morning to discuss the settlement.
Ali Bradley @AliBradleyTV wrote:
NEW: Judge rules that migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by @GovRonDeSantis can sue the plane company— “In response to today’s 77-page ruling, the migrants will continue to pursue their claims in federal court against all defendants — including by seeking jurisdictional discovery to prove the viability of the claims against the dismissed parties. Put simply, the migrants will zealously seek accountability for what the Court has dubbed, at this preliminary stage, “tortious” acts… The migrants will seek jurisdictional discovery to continue to assert claims against DeSantis and other conspiracy perpetrators, including all the state defendants who have been dismissed for the time being.”
The plane company declaring bancruptcy in 3... 2.... 1....
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2024 11:20 pm
by RTH10260
cause this is Florida
Florida inmates charged for prison cells long after incarceration
ABC Action News
4 Apr 2024
It's a common saying: You do the crime, you do the time. But when people are released from prison, freedom is fragmented. It marks the start of new hardships, impacting families and communities. Part of that is due to a Florida law many people are unaware of, further punishing second-chance citizens, preventing them from truly moving on. It's called "pay-to-stay", charging inmates for their prison stay, like a hotel they were forced to book. Florida law says that cost, $50 a day, is based on the person's sentence. Even if they are released early, paying for a cell they no longer occupy, and regardless of their ability to pay.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:38 am
by raison de arizona
That’s horrible.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 11:37 am
by raison de arizona
Dark days in Florida.
DeSantis signs bill blocking civilian review boards from investigating law enforcement in Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed multiple pieces of legislation geared at protecting law enforcement and first responders in Florida on Friday.
DeSantis spoke at a press conference in St. Augustine surrounded by a plethora of law enforcement officers and deputies.
He signed two bills into law: HB 601, which will prevent investigations of local law enforcement by civilian review boards, and SB 184, which will criminalize harassing or impeding law enforcement officers and first responders.
At least 21 cities in the Sunshine State, including Tampa and St. Pete, have some type of civilian review board. HB 601 will prohibit those boards from investigating individual law enforcement officers.
The law, instead, allows county sheriffs to establish their own oversight boards to review policies and procedures of the sheriff's office and its subdivisions.
These boards would consist of three to seven members whom the sheriff would appoint, and one of them would have to be a retired law enforcement officer.
"The sheriffs and the chief of police have an interest in ensuring that their personnel are conducting themselves appropriately, as well; I mean good order and discipline is very important," DeSantis said. "But it can't be people that have an agenda."
DeSantis said law enforcement officers who move to Florida from other states say they felt the deck was stacked against them in other states, and this bill will give more peace of mind to people wearing the uniform.
He clarified that these civilian boards can still meet, but they won't be able to enforce discipline against officers. He also mentioned concerns about these boards stemmed from issues in Miami-Dade County.
New Turtle wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2024 4:51 pm
He's making a sanctuary state for fired cops.
You want your Sturmtruppers to owe you.
Ron DeSantis
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 1:41 am
by RTH10260
The new MacCarthy
Gov. DeSantis signs law requiring anti-communist education for all Florida K-12 students
By Jason Delgado Florida
UPDATED 4:58 PM ET Apr. 17, 2024 PUBLISHED 4:03 PM ET Apr. 17, 2024
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida students, including kindergarteners, must receive anti-communism education under a bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
What You Need To Know
Florida students must recieve anti-communist education under the bill
The curriculum is required in grades K through 12
Gov. DeSantis signed the legislation on the 63rd anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion
The bill (SB 1264) will require anti-communist teachings in kindergarten through 12th grade. The teachings must highlight communism’s “atrocities” and its “increasing threat,” while also remaining age appropriate, according to the new law.
“We might as well give them the truth when they are in our schools because a lot of these universities… teach how great communism is,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Hialeah. “We are setting the proper foundation.”
Additionally, the proposal paves the way for a new communism history museum in Florida, plus a new partnership between Miami Dade College and Florida International University.
The partnership — known as the Institute for Freedom in the Americas — will promote individual and economic freedom to Latin America and the Caribbean.
“This bill today gives us the opportunity to ensure that we learn history so that our students in Florida are not apt to repeat the history and really understand the evils of communism,” said Florida Education Secretary Manny Diaz.
Two dozen Democratic lawmakers voted against the proposal in March, including Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate to just focus on one specific victim of a political entity while ignoring victims that unfortunately have been created at the arms of the United States, whether its our foreign policy decisions and so forth,” Eskamani said.
Eskamani further described the proposal as hypocritical.
“I do find it disingenuous that Republican colleagues who are constantly screaming about indoctrination… then sponsor legislation that emphasizes that a specific political viewpoint be taught to our students,” Eskamani said.
The bill goes into effect July 1. Communist teachings will begin in Florida in 2026.
