There are few things that GOP legislators in Florida enjoy more than dumping on public school teachers.
Their latest attempt is a bill from a South Florida Republican that would require teachers to take an oath to God promising to act like professionals, uphold the U.S. Constitution and be positive role models “in both conduct and character.”
The oath itself is largely just faux-feel-good claptrap — less about meaningful policy and more about virtue signaling and insults; suggesting teachers would be unprofessional, anti-constitutional, rotten role models if self-righteous politicians in Tallahassee didn’t make them swear to God otherwise.
But frankly, if anyone should be taking new oaths to improve their conduct, it’s the blustery blowhards in the Legislature. You know, the guys who’ve made headlines for things like committing COVID loan fraud, using racial slurs, sexually harassing aides, using racial slurs some more and filing bills on behalf of special interests who literally hand them legislation alongside campaign checks.
Still, the most laughable part of Miami Lakes Republican Tom Fabricio’s HB 147 — “Oaths of Classroom Teachers” bill — is the part that suggests teachers are the ones who need to honor the U.S. Constitution.
Because I can’t think of any group of people in this state that has tried to trample that document more than GOP legislators, including Fabricio himself.
Don’t take it from me. Take it from one court after another — including ones led by hard-core conservative judges — who have ruled that these lawmakers treat the Constitution like used toilet paper.
There are scores of examples. Like when they tried to tell private businesses that they couldn’t say things in employee-training sessions that lawmakers found too “woke.” (If you like the idea of government controlling private speech, you might really enjoy communist China.)
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And when they tried to pass a law that would allow them to arrest citizens who donated money to the constitutional amendment campaigns they dislike. (Vladmir Putin would be proud.)
Seriously, if these guys had any less respect for the U.S. Constitution, they’d be burning the Bill of Rights along with all the “woke” books they find so scary.
So I decided to ask Fabricio, an attorney, if he could appreciate the hypocrisy of politicians who’ve been repeatedly caught trying to pass unconstitutional laws trying to tell others that they need to respect the Constitution. My email said the following:
Rep. Fabricio,
I read the bill you filed that asks Florida school teachers to take an oath, vowing to uphold the Florida Constitution. I think every public official should honor the Constitution. Unfortunately, the group of people I see most often running roughshod over the Constitution are members of the Florida Legislature.
There are many examples. But to highlight one, you were among the majority of lawmakers who voted in 2021 to pass HB 1890 — a bill that sought to impose criminal penalties on citizens who donated money to efforts to get constitutional amendments on the ballot.
This bill was clearly unconstitutional. You were warned as much. And a very conservative judge — appointed by Donald Trump and who previously worked for Pam Bondi — agreed, calling your bill “wholly foreign to the First Amendment.” It was accordingly struck down.
So I’m wondering what you have to say about your own oath to honor the Constitution when multiple courts have already ruled you violated it. And why you think citizens should listen to you on that front.
Thanks, Scott
The distinguished gentleman from Do-As-I-Say-And-Not-As-I-Do-Ville has not yet responded. But it was another good reminder that, in politics, accusations are often confessions. Kindergarten teachers aren’t trying to deny anyone their constitutional rights. GOP lawmakers are — according to one court ruling after another.
So if anyone needs updated oaths of office, it’s these guys. As such, I have a few new oath suggestions for members of the Florida Legislature:
“I solemnly swear that no more of my bills will be written by lobbyists.”
“I promise that the next time I plan a felonious loan fraud, I’ll first give up my legislative seat.”
“I solemnly swear to keep my harassment and racial slurs to a minimum.”
“I swear that, if I ever vote for another clearly unconstitutional bill, I’ll personally pay for the $675-an-hour attorney fees to defend it instead of forcing the taxpayers to do so.”
And “I swear that if I ever again try to make anyone else take an oath of office — about integrity, ethics, upholding the Constitution or anything else — I will first take that oath myself.”
So help them, God. Seriously.
Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes, left, at a press conference in Fort Lauderdale last year with Gov. Ron DeSantis.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/22/new-oath-for-florida-teachers-legislators/
