Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican with presidential ambitions, expressed support for legislation that would restrict school districts from “encouraging discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate.”
Critics refer to the measure as a “Don’t Say Gay” bill. It passed Florida’s Senate Education Committee along party lines Tuesday.
CBS News reports:
The bill’s purpose, according to its text, is to “reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children.”
If Florida legislators pass the bill, it would go into effect on July 1, with all school district plans having to be updated by June 30, 2023.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who supports the bill, said at a roundtable in Miami on Monday that he doesn’t approve of “injecting these concepts about choosing your gender” at schools.
“We’ve seen instances of students being told by different folks in school, ‘Oh, don’t worry. Don’t pick your gender yet. Do all this other stuff.’ They won’t tell the parents about these discussions that are happening,” DeSantis said. “That is entirely inappropriate. Schools need to be teaching kids to read, to write. They need to them them science, history. We need more civics.”
The author of the bill, Republican Rep. Joe Harding, said it wouldn’t prohibit students or teachers from talking about LGBT history or queer family members. Rather, it prevents school districts from sanctioning those conversations.
LGBT groups believe the bill is a dangerous form of discrimination.
Business Insider explains:
Opponents of the bill worry it would cause gay, lesbian, and transgender children to be even further marginalized. They also fear the legislation could prevent educators from having classroom discussions about the topics and might erase LGBTQ history from the statewide curriculum.
Last month, Chasten Buttigieg, a former teacher who is the husband of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said the bill would “kill kids,” citing a Trevor Project survey of LGBTQ teens and young adults that found 42% said they seriously considered suicide last year.
President Joe Biden publicly rebuked the bill in a tweet on Tuesday.
“I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community — especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill — to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are. I have your back, and my Administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve,” he wrote.
CNN adds:
The message from the White House on Tuesday condemning Republicans for advancing the bill was a rare step as Biden and his aides called the bill part of a larger trend of GOP leaders across the country taking actions to treat students like political pawns.
