Florida.— Florida government seeks to ban classroom teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in all grade levels, expanding controversial law critics call “Don’t Say Gay” as part of Governor’s approach Republican Ron DeSantis on cultural issues ahead of his planned presidential run.
The proposal, which would not require legislative approval, will be voted on next month by the state Board of Education and has been introduced by the state Department of Education, both led by appointees of the Governor.
The rule change would prohibit lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades 4 through 12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take. The initial law that DeSantis championed last year bans those lessons from kindergarten through third grade. The change was first reported by the Orlando Sentinel.
DeSantis has leaned heavily on cultural divides in his run for the White House, and the Republican has aggressively pushed a conservative agenda that opposes what he calls the introduction of inappropriate subjects in schools.
Spokesmen for the Governor’s office and the Department of Education did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Last year the Parental Rights in Education Act sparked a wide backlash across the country, with critics pointing out that it marginalizes LGBTQ people and their presence in society.
DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly said the move is reasonable and that parents, not teachers, should be raising issues of sexual orientation and gender identity with their children.
Critics of the law say its language — “classroom instruction,” “age-appropriate,” and “developmentally appropriate” — is overly broad and subject to interpretation. Consequently, professors might choose to avoid topics altogether for fear of being sued, they argued.
The law also sparked a dispute between the state and Disney, one of the state’s largest employers and political donors, after the entertainment giant publicly opposed the law and said it would suspend its political donations in the state.
