A fifth grade teacher is facing state scrutiny for showing an animated Disney film featuring a gay character to her students – then defending the decision in a video statement to social media.
A first-grade teacher in the Florida public school system, Jenna Barbee of Winding Waters K-8 was reported to the school board by the mother of one of her students — and now claims that state investigators investigating the offense traumatizes his other students.
The film in question is 2022’s Strange World, an animated film released in the fall to mixed reviews. Featuring a cast that included Jake Gyllenhaal, the film cost just south of $320 million to make, but recouped less than half, at $120 million.
Just $35 million came from other countries, with Disney refraining from airing the PG-rated film in the Middle East, China, Indonesia, Turkey, Nigeria and Uganda due to its LGBTQ storyline – with the openly gay main character.
In a passionate spiel of six minutes for ICT Tac On Sunday, Barbee revealed how she was being investigated by the Florida Department of Education for her decision, while continuing to insist the film was within the state’s curriculum. .
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A first-grade teacher in Florida’s public school system, Jenna Barbee of Winding Waters K-8 was flagged for leaking the film by the mother of one of her students – and now claims that state investigators investigating about the offense traumatize his other students.
The film in question is 2022’s Strange World, an animated film with a cast that included Jake Gyllenhaal and a gay main character with a male love interest.
‘Is any character in the movie LGBTQ? Absolutely,’ Barbee said of gay comic book protagonist Jaboukie Young-White, whose arc consists of a crush on another male character voiced by an openly gay actor.
“Is that why I showed it?” No.’
The rookie instructor whose class is made up of children aged 10 and 11 went on to explain his thoughts on the matter, saying the film’s central figure’s sexual orientation had nothing to do with his choice.
“I have a lot of fifth graders who have come to see me this year, long before I showed this film, to talk to me about how they are a part of [the LGBTQ] community,” she explained. “It’s not a big deal for me.”
‘So I just said, OK, great, I’m not pushing anything, I’m just accepting,’ Barbee continued, before revealing how she believed district theories had learned of her behind closed doors discretions. ‘That’s what I do.’
She further claimed that as part of the Sunshine State’s investigation, her students were now being individually escorted out of class for questioning by DOE officials — moves she called not only rude but directly harmful, causing permanent harm to pre-teen students. .
‘Do you know the trauma this will cause some of my students?’ Barbee asked in the viral video statement, which has been viewed millions of times and garnered nearly 500,000 likes.
“Some of them can barely come and chat with me and are starting to feel comfortable with me,” she said. And now an investigator is allowed to come and interview them. Are you kidding me? What does it show them?
Barbee then provided his reasoning for choosing the polarizing picture, arguing that it contained topics relevant to Earth science and was just a treat for youngsters after a few weeks of tough exams.
She also cited how she demanded that all children bring back signed permission slips from parents in order to watch PG films – although they did not tell parents about the content of the film specifically.
Her goal, she said, was to spread “the message of kindness, positivity and compassion for all.”
“It is the key to the safety of our children,” she added.
Released in late fall, the animated film – which follows a group of explorers who go on an adventure to find an exotic plant – was mostly a flop, and had been considered the last “d ‘a year of waking disasters’. for disney
Since confirmed by state officials, the investigation has been called into whether the film and its content violate Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibits teachings about gender and sexual identity to school students. The governor is seen signing the bill last March
Now under investigation, the rookie instructor whose class is made up of children aged 10 and 11 said on Sunday that the film’s central figure’s sexual orientation had nothing to do with his decision to screen him, and that it was simply a reward for students who had a difficult few years. weeks of testing
Since confirmed by state officials, the investigation has been called to determine whether the film and its content violate Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibits teachings about gender and sexual identity. public school students under a certain age.
Officially called the Parental Rights in Education Act, the relatively new law also served as a propelling factor in Disney’s ongoing feud with Florida brand DeSantis, after the company publicly opposed it when it was drafted. .
The decision sparked a rift between the Republican and the Bob Iger-led company, which in recent months has gone tit for tat in various maneuvers after DeSantis’ decision to remove Disney’s standalone privileges at its park. Orlando earlier this year.
In response, Disney is now suing DeSantis in federal court, accusing him of violating the company’s free speech rights during its forcible takeover of the Disney-allied Reedy Creek Improvement District. and has since waged a “targeted government retaliatory campaign” against the Burbank-based company.
DeSantis, meanwhile, recently called the lawsuit “political,” while saying the company “crossed a line in supporting the indoctrination of very young school children into woke gender identity politics.”
That said, Disney has faced backlash from more moderate consumers for themes deemed too progressive in their films, such as a lesbian kiss in the children’s film Lightyear and a transgender man buying tampons in the TV series Baymax. .
These productions, much like Strange World, were likely approved during Iger’s tenure.
It follows a group of explorers who go on an adventure to find an exotic plant, and was released in November – and the film was almost immediately castigated as indoctrination and, in the words of Fox News, the last in a year. of waking disasters’ for Disney.
The film in question is 2022’s Strange World, an animated film with a cast that included Jake Gyllenhaal and a gay main character with a male love interest.
Disney was criticized for not condemning the bill and tried to quell the backlash with a throwback statement to staff. (Pictured: Disney employees in California rally against the bill in March 2022)
It comes as the company’s ‘Lightyear’ spin-off also drew backlash after it showed a gay kiss between two characters – a scene originally deleted, but reinstated following complaints from offended staff
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, lead actor Gyllenhaal said he was “really moved by” the film.
‘When they first introduced it to me, I was like, ‘This is exactly the kind of movie I love and love to watch and would love to be in.’ It was as simple as that.
“I think the issues he faces in the microcosm of a family being how you heal the macro of the world, is a nice new idea.”
The actor said of the movie’s animation, “I think they’re updating the animation now…what they’re doing in this movie is just amazing.”