The Republican-controlled Senate in Florida passed the controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill that bans “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity,” NBC News reports.
The Parental Rights in Education bill, which critics call the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill passed on a 22-17 vote on Tuesday and will now make its way to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis (R) who has already signalled he plans to sign it into law.
“We are going to make sure parents are able to send their kids to kindergarten without having some of this stuff injected into their school curriculum,” DeSantis said at a Monday press conference.
The bill bans teachers and school districts from discussing gender identity and topics surrounding sexuality in the classroom from kindergarten through the third grade, with the goal of reinforcing the “fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding upbringing and control of their children.”
Rep. Joe Harding, the Republican lawmaker who introduced the bill claims it “empowers parents” and improve the quality of life for Florida’s children.
“Creating boundaries at an early age of what is appropriate in our schools, when we are funding our schools, is not hate,” Harding said. “It’s actually providing boundaries, and it’s fair to our teachers and our school districts to know what we expect.”
Another Republican, Sen. Danny Burgess defended the bill saying: “This bill says parents your right to raise your children does not end when they walk into a classroom. This bill recognizes that parents are not the enemy. The bill simply says that there should be an age limit on certain discussions, it’s not a new concept, nor is it radical.”
However, critics say it would open school districts up to lawsuits from parents who believe any conversations about LGBTQ issues in the classroom is inappropriate and could harm LGBTQ youths mental health.
“This is going to endanger the safety of our LGBTQ students and adolescents,” Sen. Annette Taddeo, a Democrat, said during Tuesday’s debate. “We will not stop until this state moves forward and actually values everyone in it, everyone no matter their sexual orientation.”
Last week, middle and high school students in Florida staged walkouts over the bill.
“The language and the supporters of the bill and the rhetoric around the bill really shows what this bill is, and it’s an attempt to hurt queer people like me,” high school senior Jack Petocz said.
The bill goes into effect for the 2022-2023 school year once its signed by DeSantis.
