A.G. Gancarski
The usually mundane issue of school lunch funding has turned into a Florida political firestorm, with Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried denouncing comments from Gov. Ron DeSantis she calls “perverted and deeply inappropriate.”
On Thursday, Fried denounced the “deranged” DeSantis for “lies” about the federal school lunch program. This came a day after DeSantis claimed the Joe Biden administration sought to “take lunch money from poor kids” at a press conference in Brevard County.
“Gov. DeSantis is the deranged one for using hungry kids in this political stunt. He is lying. Period,” Fried claimed.
“The National School Lunch Program has nothing to do with bathrooms, locker rooms or sports. Our department passed on nondiscrimination guidelines from the federal government — which only apply to the lunch line — saying that children can’t be discriminated against by being denied meals at school. That’s it. Nothing else. If he really cared so much about feeding kids, he would have applied for available federal supplemental child nutrition funding — which I’ve been calling on him to do for months. Now that’s deranged.”
The Commissioner then claimed DeSantis’ position was driven by political considerations.
“For Gov. DeSantis, this isn’t about the well-being of kids in Florida — it’s just another culture war for him to wage to score political points to run for President. The only people who are inappropriately imposing sexuality in schools are Republicans who seem to be obsessed with which bathrooms kids are using. It’s perverted and deeply inappropriate,” Fried asserted.
“Gov. DeSantis should be ashamed of himself and parents should be concerned about why he and his administration seem to be intent on sexualizing every aspect of schooling in Florida.”
Florida Politics shared Fried’s quote with the Governor’s Office, and the Department of Education offered a denunciation of the Commissioner’s “false and desperate attempt to call attention to her political agenda.”
“Commissioner Fried threatened to remove Florida’s most vulnerable students from the National School Lunch Program if our schools do not accept the Biden Administration’s radical gender ideology. We will not allow our children to be used as bargaining chips for individuals who are motivated by self-interest rather than the health and safety of all students,” asserted spokesperson Alex Lanfranconi.
This back and forth comes after DeSantis’ well-publicized remarks on the matter.
On Wednesday in Rockledge, DeSantis spotlighted the state’s ban on transgender athletes in amateur women’s sports as something generally understood as the “proper thing to do” that the Biden White House targeted nonetheless.
“Biden is now threatening to penalize states that have taken basic commonsense actions like just recognizing the importance of women’s sports,” DeSantis claimed.
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. But 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 fumed. “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.”
The USDA has defended its anti-discrimination policies, meanwhile.
“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.
Commissioner Diaz issued a memo in late July stressing that these are mere guidelines and not “binding law or enforceable,” meanwhile.
30 comments
Elliott Offen
August 4, 2022 at 3:01 pm
PIZZA GAETZ also a pervert. Also FAT CAMMACK moonlight as a plus sized dominatrix.
Michele
August 4, 2022 at 3:46 pm
Delusional progressive. You would know, yeah right.
Elliott Offen
August 4, 2022 at 5:34 pm
Q-Shaman and Ashli Babbitt were delusional. Trump supporters in general are delusional…don’t realize they were taken for a wild ride on the satanic Trump train. Next stop is HELL for those too stupid to repent. Toot! Toot!
Erik Vornoff
August 6, 2022 at 9:11 am
What was Satanic about Trump? Give specifics. If you want to see Satanic, see Hunter Biden. Projecting again.
Trumpiz Adanger ToDemocracy
August 5, 2022 at 8:32 pm
you do realize that literally 30% of the GOP believes that the plot to Jim Henson’s sci-fi muppet movie “the Dark Chrystal” is real and that Pelosi, JFK (sr and jr) ex-parent’s of school shooting victims, and George Soros (who is actually an alien reptilian) are sexually abusing children and freebasing their adrenochrome with the Hollywood elite? Now tell me who’s delusional you freaking fascist apologist…
Impeach Biden
August 4, 2022 at 4:50 pm
Do you think Wasserman-Schultz would win a beauty contest? How about Jerry Nadler. Was he a sprinter in high school? How about Nancy Pelosi. Meow 🤣
Elliott Offen
August 4, 2022 at 5:54 pm
^ Whacky Republican sex pervert…
Richard Bruce
August 4, 2022 at 3:12 pm
Fried is not addressing the Gov’s objection. The Nat’l Lunch Program and SNAP are two different programs. Snap is a subset of the NLP. It is true NLP does not mandate compliance to mathematical sexual abnormal non-discrimination. SNAP, along with new Title IX regulations does mandate acceptance to mathematical sexual abnormal behavior among students.
Tom
August 4, 2022 at 3:33 pm
The only pervert is N. Fraud
She’s a disgusting human.
Just a trailer wench.
Chameleon is a sack of Adam Schiff.
Major backlash coming to Soros Manchuruans
America’s Governor, whiz kid. Whizzes upon fraud and all of u Manchurian nation.
Joe Corsin
August 4, 2022 at 5:35 pm
^ Neo nazi propagandist…
Tom
August 4, 2022 at 8:38 pm
How’s the whiz, you stink with urine corsin.
U dumb ass. Don’t u get tired getting your sss kicked!
Joe Corsin
August 4, 2022 at 10:32 pm
^ Disordered ape.. quite possibly dangerous far right terrorist. Call FBI!!!
Tom
August 4, 2022 at 11:17 pm
Your canned first grade replies with repetition are mental. Fraud is wench, u r her stench.
B3K
August 5, 2022 at 8:25 pm
thanks for the cliff’s notes!
PeterH
August 5, 2022 at 11:50 am
IT’S OFFICIAL! FLORIDA AND ARIZONA ARE NOW HIRING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WITH A FEW COLLEGE CREDIT COURSES TO TEACH IN CLASSROOMS!
Because of Ron DeSantis’s attacks on schools and curriculum the system is short 9500 educators. Florida is now actively recruiting retired military with less than a College degree and no experience in the classroom. Was his policy of “don’t say gay” worth this?
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/states-crack-open-the-door-to-teachers-without-college-degrees/2022/08
Tom
August 5, 2022 at 7:21 pm
Liar, falsifications, and dishonesty.
Fkiryda line 49 states is suffering for lack of workers.
Gov Ron and legislature provide 2 raises and 2 bonuses.
Gov Ron had reformed school system for the better.
Majority of Teachers will vote and support Gov Ron. He’s made Florida schools better. Kids were saved from mass suicides like blue states tyrant Govs. Cuomo Ny, and Whitmer in Michigan, had seniors die.
Shut the hell up Peter h
Moron.
Sam Brown
August 6, 2022 at 1:30 pm
You obviously do not know what your talking about so I will speak slowly – ONLY NEW TEACHERS received those raises! Screwing those all the way up to about 25 years experience. So now all the new teachers are being hired on at only 3000 less than teachers with again up to 20+ years experience.
What he has done is effectively!
Create a mass exodus of experienced teachers subsequently creating thousands of unfilled teaching positions that now will be filled with unqualified people. (Keep the cattle stupid philosophy – got it)
But you believe that a one time bonus of 1,000
will make us forget that we got a 2% raise that they had to fight the entire year to get or maybe it will make us forget the 7 straight years of not only no raise but a 3% cut?
By the way, the previous statement “will make us forget that we got a 2% raise that they had to fight the entire year to get” which means we worked the entire school year last year without a contract or knowledge of our salary. What other field is so disrespected?
Would you work for a company that made you fight all year long for a 2% raise that you had to now get retroactively for the ENTIRE YEAR!
SO let me tell you clearly –
NO teachers are NOT going to vote for Desantis.
Tom
August 7, 2022 at 8:29 am
Sam, Clueless, hapless and hopeless no way going through life.
Liar, liar Sam. Gov and legislature, passed pay increase in 2019. Stop lying, bonuses for all, yes new got raises. NEA Weingarten guilty for mass kids suicides. DeSantis saved kids, Florida society. Moms and Dads know.
Yes, educators will vote yes DeSantis.
Enjoy. Stop lying.
Walter reynoso
August 5, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Nikki Fried the bozo
anthony masi
August 5, 2022 at 5:38 pm
IM A FLORIDA PARENT AND REGISTARED DEMOCRAT ( i do not vote party lines and am seriously considering changing to republican mainly because of the hate that the democratic party is spreading) THIS STORY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE the truth is that the federal government has decided to include a GUIDLINE that requires a state to allow males compete in womens sports programs or they will not fund school lunch programs for needy children thats the story Desantis stood up for girls and will not allow males to compete against female in public school sports programs and that is what this is about so those who think guys should be allowed to compete against girls are condemning Desantis for standing up for the rights of girls to compete against girls shame on him for not sucking up to the federal government that claims guys who identify as girls should be able to compete against girls and now the biden administration is threatening to hold back school lunch money from hungry children THATS THE TRUTH
Tom
August 5, 2022 at 7:15 pm
Welcome in Anthony.
The untold story will be the 35% to 40% of Dems that vote for America’s greatest Gov.
It will propel him to a 60% win.
Even if you don’t switch, vote Marco, Gov Ron and other Repub.
God bless you! Say a prayer for Ron, family,
Trumpiz Adanger ToDemocracy
August 6, 2022 at 12:54 am
ok so one party in your opinion is incorrect about Trans gender athletes in sports and you are considering leaving? How about the fact that the other party is run by lunatics who propagate alex Jones as a wonderful American, are literally running a violent slow moving coup and want America to be great again like it was in the 1600’s when women, minorities, homosexuals, basically any non WASP literally couldn’t even vote (or even be considered more than 3/5 of a person). Yeah those are some pretty tough choices there. Punishing trans kids and not letting them play sports is much more important than freedom, bodily autonomy and democracy. Trump Orban 2024!
Erik Vornoff
August 6, 2022 at 9:06 am
America wasn’t around in the 1600s, ignoramus.
Trumpiz Adanger ToDemocracy
August 6, 2022 at 7:59 pm
maybe if you actually read the opinion or followed non qanon/faux news/OASS news you’d get the reference. but I’ll cite it since you probably are afraid google is mic’ing your thoughts… https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/samuel-alito-roe-v-wade-abortion-draft
“Yes, Alito literally quoted this guy, who was born in 1609, as a defense for ending Roe v. Wade in 2022. “Two treatises by Sir Matthew Hale,” Alito enthusiastically writes, “described abortion of a quick child who died in the womb as a ‘great crime’ and a ‘great misprision.’ See M. Hale, Pleas of the Crown.” As Jezebel notes, The History of the Pleas of the Crown “is a text that defended and laid the foundation for the marital rape exemption across the world” and reads: “For the husband cannot be guilty of a rape committed by himself upon his lawful wife for by their mutual matrimonial consent and contract the wife hath given up herself in this kind unto her husband which she cannot retract.” Again, Alito used the arguments of this man to bolster his case.”
Trumpiz Adanger ToDemocracy
August 6, 2022 at 8:15 pm
Too bad Justice Alito and the rest of you KKKlowns don’t seem to grasp that fact.
“if you needed further proof that Alito is pure evil and wants to take the U.S. back to a time when women’s bodies were property for men to control, know that one of the people he cited in his opinion was an English jurist who defended marital rape and had women executed for “witchcraft.”
Yes, Alito literally quoted this guy, who was born in 1609, as a defense for ending Roe v. Wade in 2022. “Two treatises by Sir Matthew Hale,” Alito enthusiastically writes, “described abortion of a quick child who died in the womb as a ‘great crime’ and a ‘great misprision.’ See M. Hale, Pleas of the Crown.” ”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/samuel-alito-roe-v-wade-abortion-draft
Trumpiz Adanger ToDemocracy
August 6, 2022 at 8:23 pm
quite appropriately the alito quote cited in the opinion that I cited to here is so vulgar and barbaric that it triggered a need to be moderated. very apropos for the QOP
James Cole
August 6, 2022 at 8:09 am
Tom, Tom, Tom…. You’re such an idiot. WWJD? Not the crap you spew out of your mouth. You have no business blessing anyone.
I didn’t vote for Nikki Fried, but you are wrong about, DeSantis or Republicans for that matter, helping schools. Florida teachers are under paid and overwhelmed. Simply because of morons like you. Every time a tax increase referendum comes up on a ballot for education, some stupid Republicans cry, “why should I pay taxes for kids I don’t know.” Or “I want a voucher because they teach CRT” (which they don’t).
My 9 yo granddaughter has to share a workbook and provide her own dry erase markers because the school doesn’t have the resources to provide what we called in the old days, chalk! Because of DeSantis’ stance on gun laws, teachers are now in a more dangerous position than the police in this state.
Teachers are exhausted. They are tired of people like you who are less educated telling them how and what to teach! It is no wonder Florida has some of the lowest rated school districts in the nation, and teachers are leaving the profession.
With that said. Bless your heart.,,,
Tom
August 7, 2022 at 8:39 am
Liar James! Clueless.
Gov Ron and legislature passed educators increases in 2019. Shut up and wipe yourself. Bonuses provided to new and educators. Stop being a ingrate.
Educators support America’s Gov, kids parents support Gov, Gov saved kids suicides with school open. Weingarten has kids death on her.
America’s Gov saved Florida, kids, parents, jobs, businesses and quality of life.
Educators support DeSantis. Independents 60% support him, Hispanics support him 55%, Dems will with 40% support him. Repubs. Over 95%.
Who you got chameleon or fraud?
America’s Gov gets 60% of vote.
Enjoy it!
Erik Vornoff
August 6, 2022 at 9:05 am
Democrats are depraved lunatics. Just read the comments.
Trumpiz Adanger ToDemocracy
August 6, 2022 at 8:08 pm
you don’t seem like an “actually address the argument” kind of dude. But my momma always told me that there is hope for everyone…”
Depraved lunatics? You do realize that literally 30% of the GOP believes that the plot to Jim Henson’s sci-fi muppet movie “the Dark Chrystal” is real and that Pelosi, JFK (sr and jr) ex-parent’s of school shooting victims, and George Soros (who is actually an alien reptilian) are sexually abusing children and freebasing their adrenochrome with the Hollywood elite? Now tell me who’s a depraved lunatic you freaking fascist apologist…
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