Florida’s State Board of Education passed several new rules during a Wednesday meeting that implement requirements in Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act dubbed by critics as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.
NBC affiliate WESH-TV reports the rules included one prohibiting teachers from providing classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity to students from kindergarten to third grade.
A separate rule requires schools to notify parents if transgender students area allowed to use bathrooms and locker rooms of their choosing. Both rules were passed unanimously by the board.
The meeting caused speakers on both sides of the issue to voice their opinions.
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"I just want to say that the inclusion and participation of LGBTQ people in society and schools is not indoctrination, it is simply them participating in society and being themselves,” a speaker said.
"The idea that there should be secrets between adults and students regarding sexuality is incomprehensible to me,” another speaker said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law March 28, saying he was making sure parents “can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination.”
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The measure, dubbed by activists the "Don't Say Gay" bill, drew intense opposition from LGBTQ advocates, students, national Democrats, the White House and the entertainment industry.
"I don't care what corporate media outlets say, I don't care what Hollywood says, I don't care what big corporations say, here I stand, I'm not backing down," DeSantis said.
Democrats have often said the bill’s language, particularly the phrases “classroom instruction” and “age appropriate,” could be interpreted broadly enough that discussion in any grade could trigger lawsuits from parents and therefore could create a classroom atmosphere where teachers would avoid the subjects.
“The bill’s intentionally vague language leaves teachers afraid to talk to their students and opens up school districts to costly and frivolous litigation from those seeking to exclude LGBTQ people from any grade level,” said state Rep. Carlos G. Smith, a Democrat who is gay. “Even worse, #DontSayGay sends a hateful message to our most vulnerable youth who simply need our support.”
