Florida Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Use of State Funds for Disney World Tickets

Last year, as states faced increased pressure on their budgets, the Florida Legislature attempted to restrict what students could use their school choice voucher money on. Just before the legislature took up this issue, it came to light that there were virtually no restrictions on what parents could use the money for, including Disney World tickets and flat-screen TVs.

Instead of reigning in the program, the Florida Legislature expanded it to $3.9 billion without any restrictions on how parents spend the money. With the program’s expansion, the state’s public schools only receive 77 percent of the state’s rapidly shrinking education budget.

With a new legislative session starting in just over a month, advocates urge the legislature to put that money back into public education. No advocate has been more outspoken than Palm Beach Post opinion writer Frank Cerabino, who wrote a blistering article urging the legislature to stop spending tax dollars on Disney World tickets.

The state will reimburse parents up to $299 for students’ trips to one of five approved theme parks, including Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando, as long as they can show an education benefit. Cerabino argues that parents just have to show a little “creative writing” to receive the money.

Home school advocates argue that taking students to theme parks has educational value. For example, a trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom or SeaWorld would be appropriate if they’re studying zoology. However, it’s hard to make an argument for Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.

Cerabino includes a list of honest topics homeschoolers should cover while at Disney World, including:

All men are created equal, but the ones with the Lightning Lane pass get to cut the line.

Those performers in the Main Street parade are only smiling on the outside.

The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad features a runaway train that somehow has fewer calamities than Brightline. Discuss.

Essay topic: Why are we letting people come in and out of Epcot? Should there be a wall? 

If you visit Tom Sawyer Island, it counts as reading Huckleberry Finn.

For a state with over 5,000 teacher vacancies and the second-lowest teacher salary in the nation, perhaps there is a better use of these funds than paying for kids’ Walt Disney World tickets, but for now, the Florida Legislature has no desire to take up the issue again.