ABOVE: Zander Moricz leads his school’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” walkout. Screenshot via SEE Initiative.
SARASOTA | Pine View School senior Zander Moricz, who is set to deliver a graduation address as his school’s first openly gay class president, is claiming “censorship seems to show that they want me to be the last.”
In a series of viral posts shared on Twitter May 9, Moricz charged that Dr. Stephen Covert, the school’s principal, threatened to “cut off my microphone, end my speech and halt the ceremony” should he reference his LGBTQ activism. “I am being silenced and I need your help,” he shared.
Moricz is the executive director of the Social Equity and Education Initiative which seeks to defend human rights. At 18, he is also the youngest plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging Florida House Bill 1557, more widely known as the state’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law. He previously organized a student walkout against the measure and more.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law March 28. Once it takes effect July 1, it will prohibit discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Advocates argue that the law’s vague language will silence LGBTQ students and teachers well beyond those parameters.
The lawsuit detailing those concerns was filed March 31. Moricz and the other plaintiffs – including Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization – assert it will “deny to an entire generation that LGBTQ people exist and have equal dignity.”
That’s what’s happening now at Moricz’s school, Equality Florida shared May 11. “This blatant censorship is unacceptable and entirely foreseeable,” Public Policy Director Jon Harris Maurer said in a statement.
“It epitomizes how the law’s vague and ambiguous language is erasing LGBTQ students, families, and history from kindergarten through 12th grade, without limits,” he continued. “The law is driving division when we should have a state where all students are protected and all families are respected.”
“This threat is not the first that I have received from administration about my queer rights,” Moricz shared on Twitter. He noted that when school officials discovered he was organizing the student walkout, “they had all our posters ripped from the walls and told me to shut down the protest. They said they would send school security if I did not listen.”
The walkout went forward, becoming the county’s largest. “I won’t give into threats and I won’t be silenced,” the student shared. “I have a plan to fight back again, and this time, I need your help.”
Moricz’s SEE Initiative has secured 10,000 “Say Gay” stickers and plans to ship them to high school seniors throughout Florida. The organization is calling on students to “wear them on your gowns as you cross the graduation stage, reminding underclassmen that we’re done with high school, not the fight.”
Project Pride, which exists to celebrate, unite and support the LGBTQ community in Sarasota and beyond, is proudly amplifying Moricz’s story. They shared the “Say Gay” sticker and more via Twitter.
Want to distribute these stickers to your FL graduating class to wear on your robe? Link in bio!
In partnership with @SocialEqAndEd and @zandermoricz pic.twitter.com/4ThEH0rCLN
— Project PRIDE SRQ🏳️🌈 (@PrideSrq) May 10, 2022
A “#LetZanderSpeak” petition was also launched on Change.org. As of May 12, it’s received more than 5,500 signatures.
“We must fight back, stand up, and speak out,” it reads. “Sign the petition to #LetZanderSpeak and show predatory politicians, Principal Stephen Covert, and Governor Ron DeSantis that LGBTQ+ students will not be silenced.
According to Sarasota County Schools – of which Pine View School is a part – officials “go over graduation/promotion ceremony expectations and guidelines for speeches, presentations, and performances with their graduates, so the students know what to expect during the event” each year. They advised Watermark students participating in the ceremony are required to go through at least one rehearsal and submit all materials for review.
“High School graduation ceremonies are a time-honored tradition that celebrate the many accomplishments of all graduates & their families, as well as the teachers, staff members, and school communities who contributed to each student’s educational journey,” SCS said in its statement. “Class presidents, academic or athletic team captains, and outstanding community servants are just some of the many types of student leaders commonly chosen to speak at graduation ceremonies.”
These speakers tend to “share their fond memories of school experiences, give shout-outs to special teachers & staff, and share inspirational messages to help celebrate all the seniors in the graduating class,” it continued. “Out of respect for all those attending the graduation, students are reminded that a graduation should not be a platform for personal political statements, especially those likely to disrupt the ceremony.”
If that expectation is not met, “it may be necessary to take appropriate action,” officials added. SCS also confirmed that Pine View School’s principal “did meet with Zander Moricz to remind him of the ceremony expectations, but the content of the speech has not yet been reviewed.”
Dr. Covert also provided a statement. “We honor and celebrate the incredible diversity in thought, belief, and background in our school, and champion the uniqueness of every single student on their personal and educational journey,” he said.
Read Moricz’s full Twitter thread and statement below.
A few days ago, my principal called me into his office and informed me that if my graduation speech referenced my activism or role as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, school administration had a signal to cut off my microphone, end my speech, and halt the ceremony. (2/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
When administration discovered that I was organizing a Say Gay walkout, they had all our posters ripped from the walls and told me to shut down the protest. They said they would send school security if I did not listen. (4/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
The SEE Initiative has secured 10,000 Say Gay stickers that we’re prepared to ship to high school seniors across Florida. We want you to wear them on your gowns as you cross the graduation stage, reminding underclassmen that we’re done with highschool, not the fight. (6/8)
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
Read my statement for the full story. (8/8) @SocialEqAndEd pic.twitter.com/8GffWiPYSw
— zander moricz (@zandermoricz) May 9, 2022
Watermark has reached out to Moricz and Project Pride for additional comment and will update this story should it be received.
Learn more about the SEE Initiative at SocialEquityAndEducation.org, Project Pride at ProjectPrideSRQ.org and Equality Florida at EQFL.org.
