Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is looking to expand his so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay‘ law to cover all grade levels, not just K-3. These changes come as the Republican governor continues to set his focus on cultural issues in preparation for his run for the presidency.
In short, the newest iteration of the bill would ban discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades 4 through 12 unless explicitly required by existing state standards or as part of instruction related to reproductive health, which students can choose whether or not to take.
“Effective educator practices will be expanded to ensure educators provide classroom instruction to students in prekindergarten through grade 12 that is age and developmentally appropriate and aligned to the state academic standards…” the proposal reads.
Republican Clay Yarborough, the bill’s legislative sponsor in the senate, spoke in support of parents during a committee hearing on Monday.
“Parents have the right and God-given responsibility to guide their children’s upbringing,” he said. “They should not have to worry their students are receiving classroom instruction on topics and materials parents feel are not age appropriate.”
Several critics argue the bill will negatively impact the LGBTQ community. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called it “completely, utterly wrong” and “part of a disturbing and dangerous trend that we’re seeing across the nation.”
There is no reason for instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to be part of K-12 public education.
Full stop. https://t.co/yVKNwqFrxV
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) March 22, 2023
Over the past several months the DeSantis administration has been increasingly active in cultural issues. In January, Florida requested data from several state universities to shed light on the number of students diagnosed with gender dysphoria or who received surgical treatments in on-campus clinics over the past five years.
“Our office has learned that several state universities provide services to persons suffering from gender dysphoria,” wrote Chris Spencer, director of the Office of Policy and Budget for DeSantis. “On behalf of the Governor, I hereby request that you respond to the enclosed inquiries related to such services.”
The latest proposal, dated March 16, is scheduled for a vote next month and does not require legislative approval, USA Today reports. The bill has been put forth by the state Education Department and will be voted on by the Board of Education, both of which are led by DeSantis appointees.
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