A high school in Florida asked parents to give consent for their children to watch the Disney animated film ‘Tangled.’
Sophomores at Boone High School voted to watch the movie last week as part of a fun “Rom-com movie night” on the football field after classes to celebrate Valentine’s Day, according to local ABC affiliate WFTV.
But, the school asked parents to sign permission slips before their high school sophomores could watched the PG-rated cartoon. Students were not allowed to watch the movie without a signed slip.
The permission form policy was implemented to comply with the new Parental Rights in Education law a.k.a the ‘Don’t say Gay’ bill which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed in 2022.
Orange County Schools require parents to sign a permission slip before any school-sponsored event to avoid potentially violating the law, according to WFTV.
“I had to sign a permission slip for my child who could drive himself to see it in a movie theater,” parent Judi Hayes told the outlet.
Parents say they’re signing a new permission slip every week and it’s becoming burdensome.
“It seems like it’s just it’s out of control. It’s every single activity,” Hayes said. “And it’s burdensome on the staff because they have to chase down permission slips. The club’s sponsors are getting frustrated and giving up because it’s too much work.”
Hayes told WFTV that she had to sign a permission slip for her child to go to tutoring with his pre-calculus teacher after school. She said the teacher pointed to the Parental Rights in Education law when explaining why she needed to sign the slips.
Other Florida school districts have adopted a similar permission slip policy to comply with the new law.
Earlier this month, parents in Miami were asked to give consent to allow their children to participate in Black History Month activities.
“I am concerned,” a parent told a local outlet. “I am concerned as a citizen. It’s a step too far.”
Another Florida school this week asked parents to give consent to having their children participate in the reading of an African American author’s book.
