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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 20 april 2022
Florida Gov DeSantis pushes to end Disney self-government

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE job in protest.
Associated Press DeSantis has repeatedly
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — lashed out at Disney and
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis critics of the law, gain-
on Tuesday asked the Leg- ing considerable atten-
islature to repeal a law al- tion in conservative media
lowing Walt Disney World spheres. He insists the policy
to operate a private gov- is reasonable and says par-
ernment over its properties ents, not teachers, should
in the state, the latest vol- broach subjects of sexual
ley in a feud between the orientation and gender
governor and the enter- identity with children.
tainment giant over what Republican lawmakers ap-
critics have dubbed the pear receptive to punishing
“Don’t Say Gay” law. Disney, filing proposals that
DeSantis, an ascendant would dissolve the district
GOP governor and poten- by June 2023. DeSantis has
tial 2024 presidential can- been a powerful governor,
didate, has battled with effectively pushing his prior-
Disney over the company’s ities in the statehouse, and
opposition to a new law both the GOP Senate presi-
barring instruction on sex- dent and House speaker
ual orientation and gen- support him on the Disney
der identity in kindergarten Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses a joint session of a legislative session, Jan. 11, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. issue.
through third grade. Associated Press Democrats were quick
On Tuesday, DeSantis were enacted in Florida the state Legislature in 1967 ney announced it would to criticize the governor’s
raised the stakes. prior to 1968, and that in- that allows it to provide suspend political dona- move as retribution for
As lawmakers returned to cludes the Reedy Creek government services such tions in the state over the the company’s stance on
the Capitol for a special Improvement District,” De- as zoning, fire protection, new Parental Rights in Ed- the education bill. Some
legislative session on con- Santis said at a news con- utilities and infrastructure. ucation law. Opponents pointed out that Disney has
gressional redistricting, the ference, referencing the The creation of the district, dubbed the law “Don’t Say been a major economic
governor issued a proc- company’s governing dis- and the control it gave Gay,” arguing that barring driver in the state.
lamation that allows the trict without mentioning Disney over 27,000 acres lessons on sexual orienta- Retired Rollins College polit-
GOP-controlled statehouse Disney by name. He did not (11,000 hectares) in Flori- tion and gender identity in ical scientist Richard Fogle-
to take up bills eliminating elaborate. da, was a crucial element early grades would margin- song, whose book, “Mar-
Disney’s self-governing dis- Disney representatives did in the company’s plans alize LGBTQ people. ried to the Mouse” recounts
trict. Republicans quickly not return an emailed re- to build near Orlando in Disney is one of Florida’s the formation of Reedy
filed proposals to do so. quest for comment on Tues- the 1960s. Company offi- biggest private employ- Creek, said he thought ini-
“I am announcing today day. It was not immediately cials said they needed au- ers: Last year, the compa- tially that “cooler heads
that we are expanding the clear how the elimination tonomy to plan a futuristic ny said it had more than would prevail” in the war
call of what they are going of the district would affect city along with the theme 60,000 workers. LGBTQ ad- of words between DeSantis
to be considering this week. the company or neighbor- park. The city never mate- vocates who work for the and Disney.
And so, yes they will be ing governments. rialized, however; instead, company criticized CEO “I believe I was wrong. I
considering the congressio- The Reedy Creek Improve- it morphed into the EPCOT Bob Chapek for what they overestimated — or under-
nal map, but they also will ment District is a private theme park. said was his slow response estimated — Gov. DeSan-
be considering termination government controlled by The push to punish the speaking out against the tis,” Foglesong said. “I see
of all special districts that Disney World and set up by company comes after Dis- bill. Some walked off the it as a legitimate threat.”q

Major remake of school nixed after

students filmed disrepair

rooms and signs warning creating the documentary on the list was “incredibly
of possible electrical shock video that has drawn more disappointing” and “un-
around utilities in one room, than 44,000 views on You- conscionable,” said board
a metro Atlanta school Tube. member Marshall Orson,
board has decided not to In the eight-minute video, who represents neighbor-
put Druid Hills High School in students used iPhones to hoods near the school and
line for a major moderniza- document plaster falling has pushed for the major
tion project. off walls, water leaking in renovations since dropped
Instead, the DeKalb Coun- many areas and a ceil- from the plans.
ty Board of Education vot- ing hole so big a student “It was sad that a major-
ed 5-2 this week to change is shown placing his entire ity of the board is willing
Druid Hills High School is shown in this undated photo, in sub-
urban Atlanta. On Monday, April 18, 2022, the DeKalb County its plan for repairs of schools hand through it. The stu- to consign the students to
School Board is expected to consider renovations for the high districtwide. Druid Hills dents also describe teh a facility that is in just de-
school after a video documentary by students highlighted is- High had been on a list of smell of human waste in a plorable conditions,” Orson
sues with the crumbling school. schools set for major over- lunch area of the school, said. “This would not be ac-
Associated Press hauls until it was removed which has century-old wa- ceptable anywhere. The
By JEFF MARTIN student-produced video earlier this year. The deci- ter pipes. notion that this is accept-
Associated Press showing gaping holes in sion sparked anger among The school board’s decision able at one of our schools
ATLANTA (AP) — Despite a ceilings, crumbling bath- parents and led to students not to put Druid Hills back is incomprehensible.”q