Over the past several years, Florida Republicans, under the guidance of Governor Ron DeSantis, have actively pursued a series of bans. This spree encompasses the prohibition of books, the exclusion of AP African American studies, the elimination of DEI programs in public colleges, the restriction on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, the prohibition of discussing gender identity and sexual orientation through 12th grade, the banning of ESG investments, and the reluctance to acknowledge racism—so much so that they have instilled fear in at least one school district, leading them to believe that even dictionaries might be banned.
Despite the seemingly exhaustive list of prohibitions, Florida Republicans are not showing signs of slowing down. The latest target is certain types of flags, as reported by WFLA. A bill, HB-901, proposed by Rep. David Borrero (R-Miami-Dade), is advancing toward becoming law.
Florida Republicans Set Their Sights on Flags (Credits: Yahho News)
The bill aims to ban the display of “political” flags on government buildings and schools. Borrero contends that Florida’s school children are being subjected to “evangelization” and “subliminal indoctrination with critical race theory, Marxism, and transgender ideology.”
If the bill is enacted, it would prohibit the display of flags representing political viewpoints, encompassing politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoints. Notably, certain flags, such as the POW-MIA flag, the Firefighter Memorial flag, and the Honor and Remember flag, would still be permitted alongside the U.S. and Florida state flags.
During discussions in the Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee, Rep. Lindsay Cross (D-Pinellas) sought clarification on how race and gender are considered political viewpoints. Borrero referenced a paraphrased version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “political” to support his stance.
Despite the potential ban on flags representing, for instance, a political figure like Trump, doubts linger about the enforceability of this aspect. Last year, a judge dismissed a lawsuit from a Florida parent who contested a Palm Beach County school over displaying pride flags in the classroom. The judge stated that there were no limits imposed by state law or regulations on the authority of the board regarding flag displays or addressing social issues in a seventh-grade classroom.
