TAMPA (WFLA) – Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Fort Myers signing HB 5, HB 233, and Senate Bill 1108 requiring civics classes to be added to middle and high school students,
The press conference took place at Three Oaks Middle School.
For kindergarten through 12th grade, new civics and government standards would teach students about the foundations of the country’s government, laws and political systems.
As the curriculum advances with the students, the complexity of material would increase. Included in each grade’s standards are items like understanding the structure of government and how it functions, and requiring students to be able to describe and demonstrate the characteristics of being a responsible citizen, as well as political participation.
One example, even in the kindergarten portion, includes defining patriotism as a love of your country and identifying symbols that represent the United States.
Multiple Tampa Bay schools were already included in the new Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) being signed into law by Governor DeSantis the list includes:
- Inverness Middle School
- FLVS Full 6-8
- FLVS Full 9-12
- Hardee Junior High School
- Hardee Senior High School
- Lake Placid High School
- Jefferson High School
- Pierce Middle School
- Randall Middle
- Braden River Middle School
- Lincoln Middle School
- Wiregrass Ranch High School
- Cypress Creek Middle School
- Seven Springs Middle School
- Bayside High School
- Plato Academy Tarpon Springs Charter School
- Berkley Accelerated Middle School
- McLaughlin Middle School
- Navigator Academy of Leadership
- Winter Haven High School
- Citrus Ridge: A Civics Academy
- Davenport High School
- Booker Middle School
- Imagine School Northport