Florida Expands 'Don't Say Gay' Bill to K-12 Grades

What's the story?

• At the request of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Board of Education expanded its "Don't Say Gay" bill to apply to all grades, barring talk of sexual orientation and gender identity.
• These topics can only be discussed as part of opt-in reproductive health instruction. The rule states:

"[Educators] shall not intentionally provide classroom instruction to students in grades four through 12 on sexual orientation or gender identity unless such instruction is either expressly required by state academic standards … or is part of a reproductive health course or health lesson for which a student's parent has the option to have his or her student not attend."

• Parents will be allowed to sue school districts over violations, and educators who violate the law can lose their jobs and have their teaching licenses revoked.
• The proposal will take effect after a one-month procedural notice period. This rule builds on the Parental Rights in Education law that DeSantis signed in March 2022.

DeSantis' culture war

• In his expected bid for the Republican presidential nomination, DeSantis has been waging what critics are calling a "culture war," taking aim at transgender rights, abortion rights, and pushing through tough immigration policies.
• The House has also decided to revoke food and beverage licenses of businesses that admit children to adult performances in their crackdown against drag shows.
• The House passed a bill that will ban people from entering bathrooms that don't correspond to their birth sex and requires public restrooms to be listed as "Men," "Women," or "Unisex."
• DeSantis is also pushing through a ban on gender-affirming care that would allow the state to take "emergency custody" of children whose parents try and get them surgery or medical interventions for their gender dysphoria.
• Additionally, his government is trying to ban pride flags from public buildings and suspend college courses on gender studies and critical race theory.

What are supporters saying?

• Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. believes the expansion will clarify any confusion about what is and is not okay across different grade levels:

"We're not removing anything here. All we are doing is we are setting the expectations so our teachers are clear: that they are to teach to the standards."

• Republican Rep. Chase Tramont said:

"In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them. Folks this is rock solid, irreversible, validated by science and our medical community. Period. You are either male or female. This is not subject to one's opinion. It is demonstrable fact."

What are opponents saying?

• Democratic Rep. Marie Paule Woodson said:

"Trans people are already dealing with the feeling of not feeling wanted, not being accepted, not being loved, not belonging. Do we want to treat them like they are worthless? This is a territory that we have no right of stepping into."

• Laura McGinnis of the LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG said:

"[E]veryone has a sexual orientation and a gender identity. It looks like this rule would make it impossible to do much instruction at all." 

• Biden called the 'Don't Say Gay' bill "hateful."
• ABC quoted a teacher who stressed how this would impact student's mental health:

"Please understand, if students do not get their questions answered either by their trusted teachers or by those parents that are willing to talk with our children, they will likely find the answers from their peers or the internet with dubious safety inaccuracy."

Do you support the "Don't Say Gay" bill?

—Emma Kansiz