A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis accused the Joe Biden administration of trying to take poor kids’ lunch money, in the latest escalation of conflict between Tallahassee and Washington on issues of gender identity.
DeSantis, at a press conference in Rockledge Wednesday, spotlighted the state’s 2021 ban of transgender athletes in amateur female sports and federal opposition.
“We did that. I think most people agree it’s the proper thing to do,” DeSantis said. “Biden is now threatening to penalize states that have taken basic commonsense actions like just recognizing the importance of women’s sports.”
DeSantis then pointed to a policy from the U.S. Department of Agriculture tying its programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), to compliance with Title IX protections that extend to matters of sexual orientation and gender identity. So far, however, the USDA has not explicitly threatened to revoke any funding. Several states have sued over the policy shift.
“They’re threatening to take away lunch money from poor kids as punishment from us protecting women’s sports. Think about how deranged that is,” DeSantis asserted.
“They’re so intent on destroying the competition of women’s athletics that they’re going to use school lunch money for poor kids as a cudgel to try to get us to submit to what they want. We’re not backing down one inch on this,” DeSantis vowed, to applause from the room.
DeSantis mocked people apparently wondering what Florida would “teach” in the upcoming school year.
“People, how are they going to know what to teach or whatever? And I’m just thinking to myself, you know, you teach reading, math, science, the basic stuff. And you don’t teach gender ideology, (critical race theory), the sexuality in the elementary schools,” DeSantis said. “That’s not very difficult to know and that’s not very difficult to understand.”
The USDA has defended its policies.
“USDA is committed to administering all its programs with equity and fairness, and serving those in need with the highest dignity. A key step in advancing these principles is rooting out discrimination in any form — including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in May.
“At the same time, we must recognize the vulnerability of the LGBTQI+ communities and provide them with an avenue to grieve any discrimination they face. We hope that by standing firm against these inequities we will help bring about much-needed change.”
“Whether you are grocery shopping, standing in line at the school cafeteria, or picking up food from a food bank, you should be able to do so without fear of discrimination,” added Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean. “No one should be denied access to nutritious food simply because of who they are or how they identify.”
27 comments
For you
August 3, 2022 at 12:26 pm
It is kinda like to say the end of your world is in October
No matter what
August 3, 2022 at 12:33 pm
I’m still wondering if he can replace all the teachers he’s losing fast enough
They are like his wife’s cancer. He can’t stop it Lol
Just the Facts
August 3, 2022 at 10:02 pm
As for teachers leaving this profession, it’s because they aren’t paid enough.
Thank the local School Boards and Superintendents for that. They disperse the monies when are where they want.
You can also thank Obama and Charlie Crist for this crisis of teachers leaving by implementing the worst education curriculum in US History.
Common Core.
Btw That’s is a despicable comment you made about the
about the First Lady of Florida.
May God Bless her always.
I admit it
August 4, 2022 at 4:19 pm
“That is a despicable comment you made about the First Lady of Florida”
Yeah that was bad She could be rush Limbaugh lol
Him too
August 4, 2022 at 4:41 pm
call rush on his show and tell him about it
Oh wait lol
Joe Corsin
August 3, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Vote RED for claiming victory and mission accomplished when you are being annihilated.
Vote RED for a culture of greed, racism, incivility, and politicized religion.
Vote RED to perpetuate low wage exploitation and capitalist scams for the rest of human history.
Just a comment
August 3, 2022 at 12:43 pm
When they single out a school tell us about it
You wont
August 5, 2022 at 12:36 pm
“When they single out a school tell us about it”
You won’t care. Like I won’t when Ron gets monkeypox lol
Dan
August 3, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Florida is up to almost 10,000 unfilled positions in education. The worst in the nation, thanks to this fools’ horrible policies and bigoted attacks against teachers. He’s already forced schools to erase lgbt kids and their parents from the schools. Now he wants to make sure that those kids can be denied food. This guy and that useless GOP legislature that does absolutely nothing but rubber stamp his insanity, are a frikken disaster in this state. They took Florida’s education system, that was one of the best in the nation and completely collapsed it. What a pathetic joke this state has turned into.
Elliott Offen
August 3, 2022 at 4:00 pm
The more educated someone is…the less likely they will vote GQP… unless of course that school is a religious school. Make sense?? Republicans are obstructionists and saboteurs of government now….this should be obvious.
Shawn
August 4, 2022 at 10:47 am
No!!! 😂😂😂
The more DeSantis speaks, the more logical he sounds than anyone else in the political country today!! Would you prefer Gavin who’s let CA go to hell and now TOO many are now living in Florida?! I taught school for years in Florida, as well as raised 4 (now grown) kids here. Sexual orientation, et al, is totally inaccurate for kindness-3rd grade!! I really don’t think it should be introduced until maybe 5th grade at the earliest! Having taught all four grade, as well as having a 5 year old granddaughter, I can promise you the last thing those YOUNG children are thinking about is their gender!! All they are interested in is friends, playing, eating, going places, toys and home!!! (Of course if you’re one that only votes a straight Democratic ticket, nothing I write will convince you to look at this from a different perspective!🥲
marylou
August 4, 2022 at 12:28 pm
example: Teacher announces Child A’s two mommies will be chaperones on the aquarium trip, as will Child B’s mother. Child C’s step-mom will provide lunch, but his other (biological) mom will be away on her honeymoon.
Kids have a lot more to ask about in 2022. They need more than a deer-in-the-headlights-face from their teacher.
David in Shoreline
August 3, 2022 at 8:20 pm
Florida had nearly the lowest teachers compensation in the entire US and Governor DeSantis and the Legislature gave teachers their largest raise in years. And a Covid appreciation bonus. And another bonus for completing Civics Boot Camp.
Math, reading, writing = a proper elementary education.
Sexual content, gender ideology and CRT = indoctrination.
Go Gov Go!
David In Shoreline
August 3, 2022 at 8:30 pm
Oh yeah, I forgot to add Governor DeSantis and the Legislature have invested heavily in workforce education through the state’s community colleges, Florida’s public universities are among the highest quality and best value in the nation, and the Hometown Heroes program helps public school teachers purchase their first family home.
Dang, you might almost call Governor DeSantis the best Education Governor to serve Florida in years!
Shawn
August 4, 2022 at 10:36 am
You must be a die hard Democrat!! 😂😂😂 DeSantis didn’t take food from our childrens’ mouths’, Biden has with the USDA!! And Biden has started to penalize states for recognizing women’s sports, which effects every woman no matter how she identifies herself. Research!!
Ron DeSantis Sucks
August 3, 2022 at 5:27 pm
The Federal Government doesn’t have many other strings to pull at to get uncooperative states in line on education other than funding. Maybe the state shouldn’t call the Biden administration’s bluff?
Toast Master
August 10, 2022 at 1:02 pm
The Federal Government has no role in Education. It was not enumerated in the Constitution, therefore is it the exclusive domain of The States.
They wormed their way into education with bribery. As they did with every other State power they usurped.
Don’t Look Up
August 3, 2022 at 6:21 pm
It’s not enough to just vote Ron DeSantis out of office. Every Republican needs to go. Republicans are America’s problem…..Vote Republicans out of office.
Glenn Reihing
August 3, 2022 at 10:37 pm
Wait a minute…
The guy that over eighty non-profits in his own state had to pressure because he would not apply for an increase in food benefits $820 million is complaining??!!??
A statement in the Florida Policy Institute’s Executive Summary for their report on appropriations this year:
“the FY 2022-23 budget decreases Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF) payments by $11 million. TANF payments had remained stagnant for three decades, and inflation has eroded the payment value significantly…”
So while TNAF payments are NOT SNAP benefits, I am sure the readers are intelligent enough to realize the point that I am making which is when are we going to stop electing arsonists to run the fire department???
Charlotte Greenbarg
August 4, 2022 at 7:44 am
Every time Gancarski does a hit piece on Gov. DeSantis it brings out all the left-wing lunatics who froth at the mouth. Sickos
Joe Corsin
August 4, 2022 at 8:29 am
Q-Shaman and Ashli Babbitt were sickos. Ashli Babbitt send her love for Trump via Ouija board!!!!
Julie
August 4, 2022 at 8:31 am
Apparently you know all about sickos, from first hand experience. DeStalin must go.
John Barron
August 5, 2022 at 3:26 pm
Drama Queen DeSantis at it again lol
We need a real man like Don Jr in Tallahassee!!!
MORONS4Trump
August 5, 2022 at 5:31 pm
sad you have over dosed on rightwing fascism ..the group of malcontents that shoot themselves in the foot
FLLLL
August 5, 2022 at 7:30 pm
All Ron cares about is women’s sports y’all leave the poor man alone. All any male politicians in FL care about is women’s sports. They have nothing but good things to say about women’s sports. And there are at least, what .000000000001% of families affected by this awful trend of that one girl in another state winning something once. Now we can all see plain as day the mad rush for little boys to spend the rest of their lives as girls so they can have a chance to win a worthless ribbon in seventh grade. It’s just absurdity and chaos. How will I even get though my day now I just can’t deal. Praise be to the highest Saint Ron! Jesus would be so so proud.
Toast Master
August 10, 2022 at 1:06 pm
It is clear that you reject reality so that you might keep your delusional beliefs.
Stay mad loonie.
Toast Master
August 10, 2022 at 1:23 pm
States must start rejecting Federal bribes. They are the reason our country is in crisis. As the Federal government usurps States power it centralizes power in a way that the Founders explicitly intended to prevent.
This centralized power then becomes an irresistible target for the power hungry. All Federal Agencies have been captured by ideological extremists. Ones who believe that central control is superior to individual freedom despite all of history showing their error.
50 Laboratories of Democracy must triumph over the many headed Hydra that the Federal government has become.
Comments are closed.