Florida Public School Cancels Free Online Math and Reading Services Because of Bill

The Brevard Public School system has removed a math game and an online library geared towards children 12 and under. This is in response to HB 1467, a bill that “requires school districts to be transparent in the selection of instructional materials, including library and reading materials.”

Russell Bruhn, a public school spokesperson, shared how the increased oversight required by the bill made it impossible to appraise the online services according to the new restrictions.

As a result, the school system’s teachers have been prohibited from using Epic’s 40,000 title library and Prodigy’s math games to supplement learning.

This decision comes as the negative effects of the pandemic are still impacting children’s education, especially those who “live in poverty, who are learning English, and who have disabilities.” 

The biggest learning deficits have been seen in math and English, subjects which seem to be perfectly supplemented by Epic’s library and Prodigy’s games.

This has left both teachers and parents frustrated, as the programs helped some students become more engaged.

Although HB 1467 is not part of the Parental Bill of Rights, or the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, it is being interpreted by some as part of larger censorship efforts being carried out by conservatives that encourage LGBTQ+ erasure.

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