Possibilities include trails, campgrounds, and kayaking or canoeing in the two rivers. Quintero said that the state will decide what services the park will offer in collaboration with the public. “I’m hoping that this becomes a model that we can demonstrate to the public, and then in partnership with the public we take advantage of those opportunities.” “This park, its significance is that it becomes a multipurpose public land,” he said. The restoration of the woodland on the property will help reduce the risk of flooding and provide heat protection. The preservation of the park also has environmental benefits, according to Quintero. “It really feels like a wild California.”īut despite all its wild attributes, the park will be just 20 minutes from downtown Modesto, California. “There are places in the park where you’re standing in a stand of oak trees that are hundreds of years old, on the shore of a river, looking across at marshlands and a wildlife refuge that has just got an incredible amount of wildlife,” he said.
The land’s unique location at the intersection of two rivers makes it a particularly attractive location for a state park, said Quintero. But because the property was actually donated by River Partners, the state will now be able to use that funding “to start putting in services.” Quintero said that the government had requested $5 million to be set aside to purchase the park. They expect the new park, which will be named through a participatory process with the public and the California State Parks Commission, will open in 2023. “We’re fairly confident it’s going to be pretty straightforward.” “We have to go through and make sure all the titles are cleared,” he said. “California State Parks needs to complete a thorough review of the transaction and obtain approvals from state oversight agencies before it is able to accept this property,” said Quintero. “California needs more state parks - and state parks that all Californians can benefit from.”Ĭalifornia Department of Parks and Recreation Director Armando Quintero explained to CNN that the state is currently in the process of finalizing the acquisition. “Our state parks system is the largest and most diverse in the country - home to ancient redwoods, over 300 miles of coastline, and thousands of historic and prehistoric archeological sites. Gavin Newsom in a statement shared with CNN. “Dos Rios Ranch would be a remarkable addition to California’s natural wonders,” said California Gov. The incident happened last month just days before Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed the Parental Rights in Education bill which attempts to notify parents if there are changes in school curriculums, as well as limits sex discussions to age-appropriate settings.Ī teachers union representative told NBC-2 the firing was legal and could represent a “wake-up call” for other educators who attempt to broach the issue.
Scott pointed to social media posts showing students were upset over her firing, while NBC-2 says they received several complaints from parents upset over the teacher’s actions. NBC-2 reports Lee County School District officials moved to fire Scott “for not following the mandated curriculum.” Image credit: įollowing the incident, Scott says she received a phone call from the district saying her contract was being terminated. She also took photos of the drawings in a trash bin. Scott described she “went over to the recycling bin. I grabbed all their flags and all the kids were staring at me. And I crumbled their flags in front of them.” “They said it would be in the best interest if I got rid of them now,” Scott says she was told. The teacher says at this point students asked to draw flags symbolizing their own sexuality, which she then hung on her classroom door.Īfter being informed of the lesson, administrators at the school had Scott discard the drawings. Scott, who’s married to a man, says she told students she identifies as “pansexual.” Scott told NBC-2 the discussion involved “student sexuality,” and students drew flags representing non-binary, bisexual and gay sexual identities. “A discussion happened in class and because of that, now I’m fired,” Scott told NBC-2.