SWFL teachers train on controversial civics and government classroom standards

Teachers are gathering at Florida SouthWestern State College for training on the state’s revised civics and government standards.

Teachers unions around the state are questioning the new civics curriculum that they say is forcing kids to learn conservative ideology and Christian values at school.

The Florida Department of Education is hosting 10 three-day professional training sessions this summer. The training is aligned with the revised civics and government standards.

Not all teachers agree with what they’re being asked to teach, but the teachers WINK News spoke with at the FSW training do.

Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear that there is no room for personal opinion in a Florida classroom. “Expressly exclude unsanctioned narratives like critical race theory and other unsubstantiated theories,” said DeSantis.

It’s why he’s offering a $700 stipend to teachers who come and train for the new civics curriculum.

The incentive attracted elementary school teachers Viola and April Cox to the three-day training.

“I am curious to know what it’s about and how it’s going to relate to how I can teach my students,” said Viola Cox, a fifth grade English language arts teacher at Veterans Park Academy.

“Was interested to see how it relates to the school. So I know civics is a wide range, not just about your community, but how we can relate to our students. So I thought that it was a good idea,” said April Cox, an intervention specialist at an elementary school.

The two teachers agree that the training is a good thing, but a handful of teacher unions around the state say otherwise.

Last week, the president of the Florida Education Association told WINK News that several state educators said at the training they were told they “Needed” to teach Christian religion in school.

READ MORE: Florida teachers union president says new laws, training creating ‘chaos’

In other cases, across the state, news outlets have reported teachers at the training have walked out in the middle of it, saying the training downplayed slavery and was infused with conservative idealogy.

April and Viola argue that it is a difference of opinion.

“Teach based off what the standard is. So, I leave my personal opinion out of it. But depending on where you stand, and what you believe, is probably why they walked out,” said April Cox.

“I just want to really just get in and kind of dig into some civics and just to be able to go back and help my students, you know, they’re at that age where they’re very influential,” said Viola Cox.

The Florida Department of Education posted the training presentations on its website. You can find them by clicking here. The website does require you to provide an email to view the documents.