The next legislative session doesn’t begin until January, but already, legislators have filed a number of bills to be considered, including a handful of education bills.
Among the education legislation are bills that would require K-12 students to learn cursive, and protect grade school and college students from being discriminated against for wearing natural hairstyles.
Other bills would require teachers to take an oath of loyalty to the state and its education laws, and prohibit teachers and staff from using corporal punishment on kids.
At the college level, a bill would require state universities and colleges to name at least one road on their campuses after conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
And, a bill aimed at making it easier for employers to pay teens less than the minimum wage, would allow college and high school students to opt out of a $14 dollar an hour wage.
Read more about each bill below:
HB 127, Required Instruction in Cursive Writing
The bill would require students in grades 2 through 5 to learn how to write in cursive and to be able to demonstrate legible cursive handwriting by the end of grade 5. Students in grade 5 would also have to demonstrate that they could read cursive writing, and write essays and other short pieces in cursive.
HB 235, Prohibited Discrimination Based on Hairstyle
The bill also known as the "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act” or “CROWN Act,” would protect K-12 and college students from being discriminated against for wearing afros, braids, locs, twists or other natural or protective hairstyles.
Under the bill, “A student may not be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under any public K-20 education program or activity on the basis of a protected hairstyle.”
HB 147, Oaths of Classroom Teachers
The bill would require Florida teachers to take the following oath:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and the Constitution and Government of the State of Florida; that I am duly qualified for employment as a classroom teacher in this state; that I will well and faithfully perform the duties of a classroom teacher in a professional, independent, objective, and nonpartisan manner; that I will uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and professional ethics; that I will foster a respectful learning environment for all students, which promotes critical thinking, civic responsibility, and lifelong learning; and that I will serve as a positive role model in both conduct and character, so help me God."
HB 109, Corporal Punishment
The bill would ban any school employee, including school teachers from using corporal punishment on any public school student.
HB 113, Redesignations of State University and Florida College System Institution Roads
This bill would require each state university or state college to name at least one road on campus after murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk. State funds would be withheld from institutions that don’t comply.
In Central Florida, those roads would include:
- The University of Central Florida board of trustees shall redesignate Gemini Boulevard South as Charlie James Kirk Boulevard.
- College of Central Florida shall redesignate Southwest 26th Street as Charlie James Kirk Street.
- Daytona State College shall redesignate Pinecrest Avenue as Charlie James Kirk Avenue.
- Lake-Sumter State College shall redesignate College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
- Polk State College shall redesignate PSC Access Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.
- Seminole State College of Florida shall redesignate College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Street.
- Valencia College shall redesignate Valencia College Drive as Charlie James Kirk Drive.
HB 221, Minimum Wage Requirements
The bill would allow college and high school age students to opt out of receiving the state's minimum wage for work study or an internship. Parents would have to sign off for children under the age of 18. The waiver would only be binding for nine months.
