Pictured Above: Sen. Jeff Brandes (left), R-St. Petersburg, said he was surprised that the governor rejected the bill. Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg, said he was “stunned” by the governor’s veto.
Image courtesy of Jeff Brandes and Ben Diamond
By Nancy McCann
In a move that caught many by surprise, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have given more oomph to one of USF St. Petersburg’s innovative programs.
The bipartisan bill — which passed 40-0 in the Senate and 114-0 in the House — sought to make St. Petersburg’s Citizen Scholar Program a civic education initiative under Florida law.
The sponsor of SB 146, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, said “it’s a little shocking” that the governor opposed the bill.
“The bill essentially creates the Eagle Scout project for civics,” Brandes told The Crow’s Nest. “We were trying to expand out to a variety of different high schools throughout the state to allow kids to engage in a civics practicum, not just have to hear about it in a civics class.”
A press release issued this morning by the bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg, starts with these words in large, bold letters: “Governor’s veto has no connection to facts or reality.”
“There is no reasonable explanation for vetoing legislation that had unanimous, bipartisan support and is aimed at improving the students’ understanding of government and the importance of civic engagement,” Diamond continued. “I am stunned by the governor’s veto of a bill that only aims to strengthen our democracy.”
The complaint DeSantis gave in his June 29 letter vetoing the bill is that “it seeks to further so-called ‘action civics’ but does so in a way that risks promoting the preferred orthodoxy of two institutions.”
Diamond said the governor “was apparently referring to the University of South Florida and the YMCA,” the only two institutions driving the Citizen Scholar Program. He called the veto “another unjustified Republican attack on higher education.”
Brandes called the governor’s letter “purposely nebulous” and “almost amorphous.”
St. Petersburg Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock also said he was surprised by the veto, but the Citizen Scholar Program will continue.
“It really is a model civics-based program for college or university students throughout the country,” Tadlock said. “We would love to have the governor come over . . . and visit personally with the students enrolled in the institute.”
High school students get college credits by participating in the program, Tadlock said.
The Citizen Scholar Program is under USF St. Petersburg’s Center for Civic Engagement. The center’s founding director is Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, professor of political science.
Brandes said he, Diamond, and other legislators met with McLauchlan’s students at USF St. Petersburg last week to talk about the legislative process, and he will continue to put a spotlight on St. Petersburg’s program.
“This is really about USF St. Pete and the Y (YMCA) helping to build a curriculum that exposes students to the real world of engaging in civic activity locally, solving problems at the grassroots level,” said Brandes.
“It’s just one thing to learn about it, it’s another thing to live it,” he said.
Read Gov. DeSantis’s official June 29 veto below:
DeSantis is not on good terms with the legislation in St. Pete and although he can’t come right out and say that, it’s obvious to those in SP who have watched his discrimination against SP that this is probably retaliation. Its sad that this man is our Governor. He does not have the best interests of his constituents.
Thanks Ron for helping to educate students on the many corrupt, ignorant and loathsome ways of republicans.
DeSantis is too limited in his political views to grasp the importance of funding civic literacy. Unfortunately, it’s USF students who will suffer.
“There is no reasonable explanation for vetoing legislation that had unanimous, bipartisan support and is aimed at improving the students’ understanding of government and the importance of civic engagement.” The explanation is that he wants stupid voters.