Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill Has Been Signed Into Law. What Now?
As expected, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law, despite weeks of international outrage, including from thousands of Florida students whom the bill claims to “protect.”
HB 1557, officially titled the “Parental Rights in Education Act,” will ban discussion of “sexual orientation or gender identity” in all K-3rd grade classrooms, or “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”
The law will also require schools to develop protocols that ensure parents are notified of any changes related to a student’s “mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being,” and explicitly prohibits schools from developing policies that prevent these forced disclosures. Lastly, the legislation allows parents to sue schools they believe have violated the law. Barring any legal action, the bill will go into effect on July 1.
Although the law’s text doesn’t explicitly single out LGBTQ+ people, the legislators’ intent is clear. Notifying parents of changes related to their children’s “health” echoes the numerous other bills around the country, such as Arizona’s SB 1045, which would compel teachers to out students to their parents if a student discloses their gender identity or sexuality. Experts worry that “Don’t Say Gay” could be weaponized to similar ends against LGBTQ+ students in Florida.
https://www.them.us/story/dont-say-gay-florida-bill-signed-lgbtq-youth
= new reply since forum marked as read
