Florida Teacher Under Investigation After Screening Disney Movie in Class

The state's Department of Education is currently investigating a Florida teacher after allegedly showing a Disney film featuring a gay character to her fifth-grade class, according to NY Post.

Jenna Barbee, a teacher at Winding Waters School in Hernando County, Florida, posted a TikTok video defending her decision to show "Strange World" to her pupils after final exams.

However, a parent and a school board member objected to the film's LGBTQ character depiction, which has led to an investigation into possible violations of "Don't say gay," the statute signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that prohibits discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida's public schools.

Florida Teacher Speaks Up to Defend Herself

Barbee defended her decision to show the film, saying it was related to earth science and ecosystem concepts covered in class and had significant social and emotional messages about "overcoming differences, spreading kindness, communicating, and chasing your dreams," according to her TikTok video.

Despite her assertion that LGBTQ+ content was not the focus and describing the film as "harmless," a school board member, who has been vocally opposed to representation in schools, reported her to the state, Yahoo News reported.

It's worth noting that the board member's daughter was present in the class during the viewing.

Following the report, Carl Zee, a friend of Barbee's, tweeted on May 11 that the teacher was being investigated for "inappropriate conduct" after receiving a letter from the Florida Department of Education.

The investigation has asked any potential witnesses or individuals possessing relevant documents to come forward within two weeks.

Barbee took to TikTok on May 13 to express her concerns about the investigation's impact on her students. She shared a video in which her students voiced their shock at the inquiry and stated that they didn't even know it was a big deal until the board member and the state made it one.

She further noted that she had signed permission papers from all the students' parents, allowing them to watch Disney PG movies.

Barbee expressed fear that the investigation would send the wrong message to her students and questioned its motivations. She also highlighted that the children find the research more "traumatizing" than the movie.

"They're using it against me, saying they're 'protecting the children' and it's for their safety. But what is this showing them?" she pondered.

Florida Teachers "Plays Victim," Says a School Board Member

During Tuesday's meeting, school board member Shannon Rodriguez accused Barbee, the Florida teacher who showed her class the Disney movie "Strange World," of "playing the victim" since she did not get the film approved by the school administration.

Rodriguez claimed that it is not a teacher's job to impose their beliefs, including religious, sexual orientation, or gender identity, on a child. However, she believes that movies such as "Strange World" open the door for conversations that have no place in classrooms.

Moms for Liberty, a conservative parents' rights organization, supported Rodriguez's election to the school board last fall. She has demanded the removal of books from school libraries that she believes contain "smut" and "porn."

The Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network, requested a comment from Rodriguez, which she did not immediately respond to.

Released in late 2022, "Strange World" is an animated science fiction film that follows a team of adventurers searching for a plant to power their society. The movie's protagonist, Ethan Clade, is gay and develops romantic feelings for another male character, Diazo.

This incident has sparked a debate about the representation of LGBTQ+ content in schools and has raised questions about the role of school administration in approving educational material.

This is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: DeSantis' feud with Disney could go to US Supreme Court - From WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando