Florida Teacher Under Investigation By State Board Of Education After Showing Disney’s ‘Strange World’ In Class

A Florida teacher is under investigation after showing a Disney movie featuring a gay character to her fifth-grade students. 

Jenna Barbee, a first-year teacher at the Winding Waters school, showed Disney’s Strange World to students after a morning of exams. She explained in a TikTok video that the film tied into her student’s Earth science curriculum.  

@becomingabetterbarbee I am the teacher. Here is the truth. #indoctrination #disneymovie #disney #strangeworld #viraltweet ♬ original sound – Jenna Lynn

She alleges that a school board member with a child in her class objected to the film and reported her to the Department of Education. Shannon Rodriguez, a member of Moms for Liberty, was identified by the Tallahassee Democrat as the board member that reported Barbee. 

Barbee claims that Rodriguez is on a “rampage to get rid of every form of representation out of our schools.” Rodriguez has a history of trying to get books she deems “smut” or “porn” removed from school library shelves.

Barbee explained in her social media post that she had permission slips on file from all parents to show PG-rated movies. However, she is now being investigated for possibly violating the Parental Rights in Education Act, or the “don’t say gay” law, that was recently enacted. The legislation bans discussion about gender and sexual identity to students of all ages. 

At a recent school board meeting, Rodriguez accused Barbee of breaking school policy by not having Strange World approved by the administration before showing it in the classroom. 

“It is not a teacher’s job to impose their beliefs upon a child: religious, sexual orientation, gender identity, any of the above,” Rodriguez said. “But allowing movies such as this assist teachers in opening a door, and please hear me, they assist teachers in opening the door for conversations that have no place in our classrooms.”

The Hernando County School District confirmed to the Tallahassee Democrat that a fifth-grade teacher is under investigation for showing a Disney film.