Latest news with #Desantis
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dad claims son was harassed by staff for wearing 'Let's Go Brandon' shirt, sues school district
A father has filed a lawsuit against an Ohio school district he claims "punished" his son for wearing a "Let's Go Brandon" T-shirt to school. The lawsuit, obtained by Fox News Digital, alleges a teacher and principal at Madison Middle School in Mansfield violated a student's First Amendment right to free speech and 14th Amendment right to due process when he was punished for wearing the shirt to school several times. The first incident happened in November, according to the lawsuit, when the boy wore the T-shirt beneath a flannel shirt in a hallway before class had started. A teacher, identified as a registered Democrat in the complaint, allegedly made the boy button up the shirt to cover the message, telling him, "I know what that means." Michigan School District Faces Lawsuit After Forcing Students To Remove 'Let's Go Brandon' Sweatshirts The next incident happened later in the day, when the boy attended the same teacher's class. Read On The Fox News App The student reportedly removed his flannel to cool off, but when the teacher noticed the T-shirt again, she issued the boy a "pink slip" and sent him to the principal's office for discipline. According to the complaint, the principal "demanded" the boy wear the flannel for the rest of the day and "never again wear an item communicating the content of this speech." Ufc Star Praises Trump, Desantis, Leads Crowd In 'Let's Go, Brandon' Chant A third incident occurred when the student wore the same T-shirt again in January, when the teacher who was involved in the November incidents noticed and pulled him aside and asked, "Do you like offending people?" according to the complaint. "That's not my problem, nobody has to read my shirt," the boy responded, and the teacher allegedly gave him a "dirty look" and walked away. The principal later met with the boy and his father, Richard Conrad, and claimed the phrase is "code" for a vulgar expression. However, his father argued he does not interpret the slogan that way. A fourth incident happened when the boy was given detention by the principal for wearing the T-shirt to school again March 24. The school emailed the father about the boy's "repeated violations" of the student code of conduct, which it said is set by the board of education. The complaint alleges the school's dress code is "unconstitutionally vague" and gives individual employees too much discretion in enforcing it. Arizona Marine Vet Who Disarmed Robbery Suspect Accepts Heroism Award In 'Let's Go Brandon' T-shirt The "Let's Go Brandon" catchphrase, used by American conservatives to criticize Biden, originated in October 2021. The phrase originiated during a NASCAR interview and is a G-rated substitute for "F--- Joe Biden" chants popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. The explicit saying was recited at sporting events across the country in defiance of the president's coronavirus mandates. Conrad's lawsuit claims the phrase is "a popular expression of certain people's opinions toward the American media and politics" and is not vulgar. Madison Local School District Superintendent Robert Peterson told Fox News Digital he was aware of the lawsuit but could not comment on any details since it's being actively litigated. Titleist Blocks Customers From Personalizing Golf Balls With 'Let's Go Brandon' In 2023, two students who were prohibited from wearing clothing with the same phrase to school filed a lawsuit against their Michigan school district. The district and its employees were "censoring students who try to express support for former President Donald Trump or opposition to President Joe Biden," according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which describes itself as "a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought," represented the Tri County Middle School students who sued the school district for viewpoint discrimination after they were ordered to remove sweatshirts they wore to school that featured the phrase in February 2022. In a similar situation to Conrad's, an assistant principal and a teacher "ordered the boys to remove their sweatshirts" for allegedly violating a dress code while allowing other students to wear other political apparel like "gay-pride-themed hoodies," according to FIRE. "Criticism of the president is core political speech protected by the First Amendment," FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick previously said. "Whether it's a Biden sticker, 'Let's Go Brandon' sweatshirt or Gay Pride T-shirt, schools can't pick and choose which political beliefs students can express." FIRE said the incident involving the two students is part of a "pattern of political favoritism" by the school district that it is "wrongly relying on a policy that prohibits 'profane' clothing to censor this particular message." "When the school district relaxed the dress code for field day, a school administrator ordered a student to stop wearing a Trump flag as a cape but permitted other students to wear gay pride flags in the same manner," the group said in a press release announcing the lawsuit. "The slogan exists as a way to express an anti-Biden message without using profanity," Fitzpatrick said. "A public school district cannot censor speech just because it might cause someone to think about a swear word." Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis and Kyle Morris contributed to this report. Original article source: Dad claims son was harassed by staff for wearing 'Let's Go Brandon' shirt, sues school district
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
President Trump, conservatives celebrate ‘absolutely massive' Florida special elections sweep
President Donald Trump and other leading conservatives are celebrating a special election sweep in Florida, calling it a "huge win for America" and a rebuke to Democrat hopes for an upset in the deep red state. The races, in Florida's 1st and 6th Congressional Districts, which Trump carried by 37 and 30 points in last year's presidential election, are being viewed as early referendums on the opening couple of months of Trump's second tour of duty in the White House. Republican candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine each won their elections soundly by margins of 15 and 14 percent, respectively. Patronis, a former Florida chief financial officer under Gov. Ron DeSantis, replaces former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Fine, a state senator, will replace Mike Waltz, the current national security adviser for the Trump administration. Though both races were in solidly red districts, the Democratic candidates far outraised the GOP, with the party pouring in millions of dollars in hopes of using frustrations with the early Trump administration to ride to victory and cut into the GOP's miniscule majority in the House. Former Desantis Official Defeats Dem For Matt Gaetz's House Seat Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday night to celebrate both wins, calling Patronis' victory a "great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE." Read On The Fox News App "Both Florida House seats have been won, big, by the Republican candidate," the president wrote, adding, "The Trump endorsement, as always, proved far greater than the Democrats forces of evil." "CONGRATULATIONS TO AMERICA!!!" he said. In response to another Trump post Tuesday night which simply said, "RANDY FINE WINS!!!" Fine responded, "Because of you, Mr. President. I won't let you down." Gop State Senator Wins Florida Special Election, Extends Gop House Majority Republican influencer Charlie Kirk pointed out that Patronis won, despite his opponent raising $6.5 million compared to Patronis' $2.1 million. Influencer Benny Johnson also brought up the fundraising differential, pointing out that Fine won despite Democrats investing over $10 million for his opponent. "Absolutely massive win," said Johnson. "HUGE win for the Trump agenda, as we now have an extra Republican vote in the House," commented social media personality Nick Sortor. "Democrats poured over $10 million into the race, but still got blown out of the water." Scoop: Trump Ally Donalds Showcases Campaign Cash Surge Since Announcing Florida Governor Run Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Florida, who is currently running to be Florida's next governor, also chimed in, calling the victories a huge win. "Thank you to the thousands of Floridians who showed-up for our nation during this Special Election," Donalds wrote. "This is a huge win for America, saves our House Majority, & helps us to pass the Trump Agenda."Original article source: President Trump, conservatives celebrate 'absolutely massive' Florida special elections sweep
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DeSantis rebukes Republicans for backing bill for carbon sequestration task force: 'Absolutely embarrassing'
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described it as "embarrassing" after the Sunshine State's GOP-dominated House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee voted to advance a bill that proposes creating a carbon sequestration task force. The subcommittee favorably reported the measure in a 15-2 vote on Tuesday, April 1. Just two Republicans opposed it, while 10 Republicans and all five Democrats voted in favor of it. Former Desantis Official Defeats Dem For Matt Gaetz's House Seat "Is this Sacramento or Tallahassee?" DeSantis asked when commenting on the vote result, adding, "Absolutely embarrassing." The task force would "provide recommendations for the development of a statewide carbon sequestration program," according to the measure, which defines carbon sequestration as "the long-term storage of carbon in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean through land and aquatic habitat management." Read On The Fox News App In a video posted on social media the day before the vote, DeSantis called carbon sequestration a "scam" that is a facet of "climate ideology." Scoop: Trump Ally Donalds Showcases Campaign Cash Surge Since Announcing Florida Governor Run "Don't indulge the left with carbon sequestration," he declared. The text of the governor's tweet described the prospect of dumping carbon into the soil, aquifers, or the ocean floor as a "non-starter." But Democratic Florida state Rep. Lindsay Cross pushed back, tweeting, "We aren't pumping carbon anywhere." Desantis Proposes Solution As Trump's Agenda Is Stymied By Judges "#CarbonSequestration is Science & happening all around us. Plants pull carbon from the air & store in their roots/soil. We aren't pumping carbon anywhere. This bipartisan bill will make FL a leader; ready to leverage private investments to conserve & manage natural & ag areas," she wrote in response to the article source: DeSantis rebukes Republicans for backing bill for carbon sequestration task force: 'Absolutely embarrassing'
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New report sounds alarm on 'staggering' amount of foreign money pouring into US universities
FIRST ON FOX: A new report from a nonprofit and nonpartisan government watchdog is shedding light on the tens of billions of dollars that have poured into U.S. universities in recent years, including $20 billion to some of the most prestigious universities in the country. The report, produced by Americans for Public Trust and released this week, found that $60 billion in foreign gifts and contracts were funneled into American colleges and universities, including $20 billion alone to elite schools like Harvard, Yale, and others. Within that total, $795 million came from nations that are long-standing adversaries to the United States, including China, Russia, Venezuela and Yemen. "Alarmingly, many of these schools are also top research universities that handle sensitive information and intellectual property," the study states. Desantis Says Florida Returned $878M In Taxpayer Funds To Federal Government After Meeting With Musk, Doge The report amplifies concerns that this money is coming into American universities with strings attached and peddling influence from foreign actors overseas. Read On The Fox News App "For far too long, a staggering amount of foreign money has flowed into our colleges and universities with little to no transparency or oversight," Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, told Fox News Digital. University Doctor Resigns After Unearthed Audio Exposes Him Boasting About Skirting Anti-dei Laws "Much of these foreign funds can be traced back to countries that have well-established adversarial relationships with the United States or engage in direct or indirect malign activities against our country. It is no coincidence that, in the same time period, we've seen a rise in anti-American demonstrations and radical ideas being cultivated at these institutions. Elected leaders need to take action to crack down on reporting lapses at these institutions to increase accountability and raise public awareness about the entities and individuals influencing these institutions." Anti-Israel protests have erupted on college campuses across the country in recent years, and the report states that threat in 2024, "some of the schools that received the most Qatari money included Ivy League members Harvard and Cornell Universities. The report also documents concerns about money from China pouring into Ivy League institutions. "The effects of monies flowing into college campuses from China are dangerous and widespread," the report states. "In 2024, China poured over $175 billion into U.S. schools, and the historic breadth of this vast enterprise cannot be understated; Americans for Public Trust has already previously uncovered nearly $130 million in Chinese funding to the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania alone over a roughly five-year period." The study concludes that measures need to be taken to ensure foreign influence is not prevalent at American schools, including the passage of the DETERRENT ACT, which would "deter bad actors from attempting to buy influence, conduct espionage, and sow propaganda and discord across the United States via our higher education system."Original article source: New report sounds alarm on 'staggering' amount of foreign money pouring into US universities
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Osceola Sheriff's Office Address Immigration Legislation at Critical Town Hall
As immigration policies continue to stir debate across Florida, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office is stepping into the conversation by hosting a highly anticipated town hall meeting Thursday at Gateway High School to address the sweeping concerns surrounding the role of law enforcement in the county. With over 50% of Osceola County's population being Hispanic, the town hall meeting comes one month after Governor Desantis signed several immigration laws that aimed to carry out President Trump's deportation agenda. 'The law itself is difficult. It's messy and it's cruel,' said Maria Revelles, Co-Director of La Mesa Boricu. During the meeting, the department highlighted two of the stricter immigration laws, such as SB 2-C, which would enhance punishment for unauthorized aliens, force law enforcement to notify the State of Attorney if a person in custody is on an immigration detainer, and SB-4C which would impose the death penalty if an unauthorized alien is guilty of a capital offense. The meeting also detailed what can happen if a government agency does not comply with the law, like a forced suspension from office. The Sheriff did say the department is lending a hand to ICE because it has been overwhelmed with immigration, and deputies will be focused on criminals and those that are a threat to public safety and they are not walking into schools and churches locking up people randomly and deporting them. 'It's not like they are just going to be throwing people out. Every situation. Every circumstance is going to be different. We're assisting them right now because they are overwhelmed with this issue,' said Marcos Lopez, Osceola County Sheriff. During the meeting, the sheriff displayed a PowerPoint slide show with examples of past undocumented individuals who have committed violent crimes underscoring the urgency behind these efforts, with law enforcement making it clear that their collaboration with ICE is not about status—it's about safety. Like many in the room, Revelles said there are still blurry lines between the roles of local government and the new law questioning what this enforcement might look like in practice and can these laws affect trust in law enforcement and the communities. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
