US Teacher Under Investigation For Showing Disney Movie With A Gay Character
Image: Disney
A teacher in the US State of Florida is currently under investigation for ‘misconduct’ under the state’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ laws, after showing a Disney film ‘Strange World’ featuring a gay character.
Fifth-grade teacher Jenna Barbee showed Disney’s 2022 animated movie ‘Strange World’ to her students, wanting to give them a treat after “spending their morning state-standardized testing”.
She soon received a letter from the Florida Office of Professional Practices Services stating that “following the receipt of a complaint, [the office] has determined an investigation is warranted into allegations that you engaged in inappropriate conduct”.
My friend showed Disney’s Strange World in a Florida classroom and one student reported it to their parents. Now she’s under investigation by the state.
Florida is not safe for teachers, DO NOT MOVE HERE. pic.twitter.com/rZJPdadz28
— Carl Zee (@c350Zee) May 11, 2023
“Indoctrination”
Taking to TikTok, Barbee explained that she chose to show the film because it related to the student’s current environmentally based curriculum.
@becomingabetterbarbee I am the teacher. Here is the truth. #indoctrination #disneymovie #disney #strangeworld #viraltweet ♬ original sound – Jenna Lynn
“I thought it would be a great time to give them a brain break by showing a movie related to what we were learning about it in school,” she says.
“Our unit at the time was about earth science and ecosystems and how they interact – plants, humans, animals – my thought process was, ‘what a better way to showcase all these standards’”.
Disney’s ‘Strange World’ is an animated science-fiction adventure film about exploring a variety of different habitats and environments. It also features Ethan, an openly gay character with a small romantic subplot.
Barbee continues, revealing how “the entire fifth-grade team has signed (parental) permission slips for PG movies with no objections to specific content”.
State-Sanctioned Rampage
She claims that she was instead turned into the state by a school board member, who she explains is “currently on a rampage to get rid of every form of representation” in schools, and whose daughter was in the class watching the film.
“The school board member called the Department of Education on me for indoctrination before ever coming to talk with me or admin about the situation,” she says.
From the legislation of multiple anti-trans bills to the recent and steady expansion of its ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, Barbee’s situation is among the latest in Florida’s continued action against LGBTQ+ representation and activity across the state.
