Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Law, popularly known by critics as the “don’t say gay” bill, went into effect on Friday, restricting what teachers can say about gender and sexual orientation. The White House called it part of “a disturbing and dangerous nationwide trend” of targeting the LGBTQ community and encouraged Floridians to challenge it.
How Implementing ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Is Creating a Dystopian Nightmare in Florida
July 2, 2022
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The law, signed March 28 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), is the first of its kind in the country. It prevents teachers in kindergarten through third grade from discussing gender and sexual orientation in class and restricts what they can say in upper grades to what is developmentally appropriate, without saying what that is. Only the K-3 provision went into effect on Friday; the other part, according to the Florida Department of Education, will after rules or guidance on age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate instruction are developed.
Nothing like seeing a governor touting the importance of civics education, in a state where I was removed from school for literally peacefully protesting.
Go off though, Ron, I guess gay kids don’t count. pic.twitter.com/Ikmw2mspFT
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) June 30, 2022
The law also legally empowers parents to sue school districts as a way to advance their “parental rights.” It is part of a push by DeSantis to restrict what teachers can say — an effort that also includes topics in race, racism and U.S. history. More than a dozen other states have seen similar bills introduced in their legislatures. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said he wants to make such a law “a top priority” in the next legislative session.
Part of the impetus for the Florida law, supporters said, was reports that some schools were not telling parents about children’s sexual orientation. Critics say that the vaguely worded law will force LGBTQ students and teachers to hide their identities, and that the threat of being sued will lead teachers to keep quiet about issues that are important for students to learn.
In a statement, the White House said in part: “This is not an issue of ‘parents’ rights.’ This is discrimination, plain and simple. It’s part of a disturbing and dangerous nationwide trend of right-wing politicians cynically targeting LGBTQI+ students, educators, and individuals to score political points. It encourages bullying and threatens students’ mental health, physical safety, and well-being. It censors dedicated teachers and educators who want to do the right thing and support their students. And it must stop.”
Growing up, I spent countless nights trying to change who I am. Praying to God I could wake up different, what I had preconceived as “normal.”
Today, “Don’t Say Gay” goes into effect, but I’ll keep proudly expressing my identity, so no child feels lesser than or not worthy. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3LzAIAjg1i
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) July 1, 2022
When it comes to America’s descent into a dystopian hellscape, most people have probably spent the last several weeks focused on things like the ongoing revelations from the January 6 committee regarding Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn democracy, and decisions from the Supreme Court ruling that there’s no more separation of church and state, women don’t have rights, and coal companies can kill us all. (To say nothing of the fact that, next term, they may make it legal for Republicans to steal elections.) But it’s important to remember that Trump and the high court’s christofascists aren’t the only people we need to worry about. There are also elected officials like Ron DeSantis, who has a not-insignificant chance of becoming president in 2024. Like Trump, the Florida governor takes immense pride in being a bully; he bullied the Special Olympics, he bullied Disney, he bullies anyone who disagrees with him, and in the words of one of his college teammates to The New Yorker: “Ron is the most selfish person I have ever interacted with. He has always loved embarrassing and humiliating people. I’m speaking for others—he was the biggest dick we knew.”
What might the country look like should DeSantis ascend to the White House? In a word: scary. In three words: really fucking scary. In 20 words: It’ll be the kind of place where teachers are warned not to display rainbow flags for fear of being prosecuted.
Yes, on Friday, Desantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act, a.k.a. the “Don’t Say Gay” law, went into effect in Florida, and it’s hard to overstate how terrifying this whole thing is. In addition to banning any talk of gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade, it also prohibits such discussions all the way through high school, saying that such topics cannot be discussed in any grade in a manner that is not “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate.” (Naturally, the law does not specify what is considered “appropriate”; that definition may not come from the state’s Department of Education until next summer.) Critics believe the law was written in an intentionally broad manner to scare school districts, which parents can sue if they believe the measure has been violated. “When we talk about the culture of fear that this bill has created and the chilling effect, we’re talking about the fact that educators and school districts are scared to approach anything related to LGBTQ people or issues out of fear of lawsuits and professional ruin,” Florida representative Carlos Guillermo Smith told The Hill.
For instance, the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association accused school officials this week of telling teachers not to wear clothing with rainbows on them and to get rid of “safe space” stickers and photos of their same-sex spouses, according to NBC News. Last month, according to Palm Beach County high school special education teacher Michael Woods, the Palm Beach County School District “sent out a questionnaire asking its teachers to review all course material and flag any books with references to sexual orientation, gender identity or race.” (According to Woods, several weeks prior, the district removed the books I Am Jazz and Call Me Max, for seemingly referencing gender identity.) And on Tuesday, according to NBC, the Leon County School Board approved a “LGBTQ Inclusive Guide,” which includes a clause that says parents must be informed if a student who is “open about their gender identity” is in their child’s gym class or with them on an overnight school trip. “Upon notification or determination of a student who is open about their gender identity, parents of the affected students will be notified of reasonable accommodation options available,” the guidelines state. “Parents or students who have concerns about rooming assignments for their student’s upcoming overnight event based on religious or privacy concerns may request an accommodation.”
The White House statement referenced a number of reports coming from Florida about schools and districts taking steps to comply with what they think the law prohibits.
It said: “Already, there have been reports that ‘Safe Space’ stickers are being taken down from classrooms. Teachers are being instructed n
Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, the Leon County School Board approved an “LGBTQ Inclusive School Guide.” It says all students should be able to attend overnight trips but that if any parent or student has concerns about rooming assignments “based on religious or privacy concerns,” they can request an accommodation.
ot to wear rainbow clothing. LGBTQI+ teachers are being told to take down family photos of their husbands and wives—cherished family photos like the ones on my own desk. — and about.”
