Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration put forward the proposal last month as part of the Republican’s aggressive conservative agenda. (Photo via DeSantis’ Facebook page)
The Florida Board of Education has approved the expansion of the state’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law, which will now ban all classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades.
The change extends the law from its previous restrictions on kindergarten through 3rd grade classrooms to all grades through 12th, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction. Under current rules, 4-12 students can choose not to take part in reproductive health instruction and such discussions are already currently banned in K-3.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration put forward the proposal last month as part of the Republican’s aggressive conservative agenda, with the governor leaning heavily into cultural divides ahead of his looming White House candidacy.
“Let’s put it plainly: this is part of the Governor’s assault on freedom,” LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida posted to Twitter. “Free states do not ban books. Free states do not censor entire communities out of the classroom. Free states do not wage war on LGBTQ people to score cheap political points for a man desperate to be POTUS.”
Equality Florida stated that the new expansion is “enforceable against individual teachers through possible removal of their educators license.”
“This policy will escalate the government censorship sweeping our state, exacerbate our educator exodus, drive hardworking families from Florida, and further stigmatize and isolate a population of young people who need our support now more than ever,” Equality Florida continued. “Shame on the DeSantis Administration for putting a target on the backs of LGBTQ Floridians.”
According to The Associated Press, an education department spokesman states that the proposal will take effect after a procedural notice period that lasts about a month.
