Gov. Ron DeSantis responds to leaked Disney comments about parental rights bill
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., joins 'Tucker Carlson Tonight'
After the Walt Disney Company criticized the passage of the Parental Rights in Education law in the state of Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis told Fox News its executives are trying to inject their "California values" into the more moderate Sunshine State.
DeSantis joined "Tucker Carlson Tonight" to react after the Burbank, Calif.-based entertainment corporation – which owns the iconic theme parks in Florida – profusely objected to the law.
The law prohibits Florida educators from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, with a provision that enables parents to sue if they allege schools or instructors have been in violation.
DISNEY SLAMS FLORIDA'S PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION LAW
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses a joint session of a legislative session in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
"This bill is about providing protection so that they know they can send their young kids to school without them being sexualized -- without a school telling a young girl, for example, that she may really be a boy," DeSantis told host Tucker Carlson.
"And if schools are trying to do things that impact the health and wellbeing of the kids… that parents have a right to know that and provide consent for it. So this is a real bill that empowers parents. It protects our kids."
DeSantis surmised that the Walt Disney Company only began objecting after the "woke mob" called on them to.
FLORIDA REPUBLICANS CONDEMN ‘WOKE’ DISNEY
He added that the company is based not in Orlando but in Burbank, and remarked that Disney is simply trying to inject their politics where the people of Florida overwhelmingly indicated they shouldn't be.
"For them to say that they as a California based company are going to work to take those California values and overturn a law that was duly enacted and supported by a strong majority of Floridians – They don't run this state. They will never run this state as long as I'm governor."
disney (iStock)
In a statement, Disney referred to the bill by a nickname popularized by detractors, saying it hopes to see the law mooted:
"Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," reads the statement from Disney. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts," the Monday statement read in-part.
Host Tucker Carlson suggested Disney instead redirect its resources aimed at the bill toward improving critical areas in the city of Orlando.
Fox Business' Lucas Manfredi contributed to this report.