By The News Service of Florida
The Senate voted 36-2 on Thursday in support of a proposal that directs county school districts to place portraits of Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in every public school.
The measure (SB 420) requires the Department of Education to select the depictions of the presidents and distribute them to school districts and for each school district to adopt rules regarding the display of the portraits.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Garden, and Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, opposed the bill.
A similar measure (HB 371) awaits action on the House floor.
The Senate budget proposal includes $200,000 for the “Patriotic Displays” initiative. The House budget plan doesn’t contain any funding.
The portraits would be part of a state “patriotic program” law that already requires the official Florida state motto “In God We Trust” to be displayed in school district buildings.
Lincoln, Washington Portraits in Schools Gets Senate Backing added by Staff on
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