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The Florida Senate on Tuesday gave initial approval to a controversial proposal that critics have dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill because it could curtail school discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Republican-dominated Senate Education Committee approved the measure (SB 1834) in a 6-3 vote along party lines, despite testimony from dozens of opponents who argued that the bill could remove teachers as a lifeline for vulnerable LGBTQ youths.
The bill would require that school districts “may not encourage” discussions related to sexual orientation and gender identity “in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”
Parents could file lawsuits against school districts for violations of the bill.
The bill’s Republican sponsor, Dennis Baxley, characterized the legislation as clarifying the lines of teachers’ responsibilities in the classroom.
“Some discussions are for (having) with your parents. And I think when you start having sexual-type discussions with children, you’re entering a very dangerous zone. Your awareness should pop up right away; this isn’t teaching,” Baxley said.
But John Harris Maurer, public policy director for LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida, took exception to Baxley’s argument that such discussions would be inherently sexual in nature.
“It is patently offensive to say that school discussions, even with young children, referring to two moms or two dads, parents like those that are sitting in this room that are your constituents … is somehow dangerous or inappropriate,” Maurer said.
The “don’t say gay” bill is a continuation of Republicans’ push to increase parental involvement in issues related to education. Lawmakers last year passed a bill known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which served in part as the basis for an executive order by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis aimed at prohibiting mask mandates in schools.
DeSantis this week signaled his support for the bill saying it was “entirely inappropriate” for teachers to be having conversations with students about gender identity.
“My goal is to educate kids on the subjects, math, reading, science, all the things that are so important. I don’t want the schools to kind of be a playground for ideological disputes,” DeSantis said during a press event on Tuesday.
The White House condemned the bill on Tuesday.
“Make no mistake — this is not an isolated action. Across the country, we’re seeing Republican leaders take actions to regulate what students can or cannot read, what they can or cannot learn, and most troubling, who they can or cannot be,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement. “This is politics at its worse, cynically using our students as pawns in political warfare.”
