ORLANDO, Fla. — Funding totaling $1 million for a documentary about the Ocoee Massacre was among Gov. Ron DeSantis’ vetoes of $3.1 billion in spending from the Florida state budget.
What You Need To Know
- Funding for Ocoee Massacre documentary among Gov. Ron DeSantis’ budget veto list
- The documentary would have been produced by Valencia College’s film program
- State Sen. Randolph Bracy says the governor’s decision is disappointing
- The governor’s office did not respond to request for comment
State Sen. Randolph Bracy (D–District 11) worked with Valencia College’s film program to request the funding to produce a feature-length documentary about the massacre.
The aim was for the documentary to be provided to Florida schools as part of lessons detailing the deadliest election day in American history. That history became part of the state’s curriculum this past school year.
Bracy said DeSantis’ decision was disappointing.
“This is a part of Florida’s history, whether people want to acknowledge it,” he said.
Bracy said legislators could try to take it up the documentary funding again next session, but he expects the governor would veto it again, citing his ban on teaching critical race theory in schools.
News 13 reached out to the governor’s office for comment on what led to his veto decision, but did not receive a response.