On Monday, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill into law.
The legislation, which stirred controversy throughout the country, prohibits discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation in the state’s K-3 grades “or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
Parents also have the right to opt-out of certain health services offered in public schools and schools are also not able to implement rules that prevent teachers from notifying parents about services for children regarding their physical, mental, or emotional health with the exception of potential instances of child abuse.
At a press conference in Spring Hill on Monday, DeSantis said, “We will continue to recognize that in the state of Florida, parents have a fundamental role in the education, healthcare, and well-being of their children. We will not move from that.”
“I don’t care what corporate media outlets say, I don’t care what Hollywood says, I don’t care what big corporations say. Here I stand and I’m not backing down,” said DeSantis.
Opponents of the law falsely claim that it bans the word “gay” from the state’s public schools, framing it as an attack on the LGBTQ community. Critics including the White House, Democratic politicians, the media, LGBTQ advocates, and the entertainment industry have pushed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill narrative.
DeSantis has pushed back on reporters who have used the “Don’t Say Gay” slogan in their questioning about the legislation highlighting the fact that the word “gay” does not appear anywhere in the bill.
Over half of voters supported the provision in Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill “banning the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade,” according to a poll conducted by Politico and Morning Consult. Only 35% of Americans said they opposed the legislation despite pollsters’ use of “the so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill” language in its survey questions.
The bill was introduced in response to alleged reports of teachers secretly “transitioning” young children, which included using new names and pronouns for students without parental consent, an issue that has prompted a public-interest law firm to initiate a massive lawsuit in December. One 12-year-old girl in the state reportedly attempted suicide after her school started referring to her as a boy and using male pronouns for her without her parent’s consent or knowledge.
“Parents’ rights have been increasingly under assault around the nation, but in Florida we stand up for the rights of parents and the fundamental role they play in the education of their children,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Parents have every right to be informed about services offered to their child at school, and should be protected from schools using classroom instruction to sexualize their kids as young as 5 years old.”
Florida, which legislators have been advertising as “The Education State,” has deemed 2022 the “Year of the Parent.” The state has passed other legislation that strengthens parents’ education rights.
On Friday, DeSantis signed HB 1467 in law, which “requires school districts to be transparent in the selection of instructional materials, including library and reading materials,” according to a press release.
The legislation also allows parents to “object to materials they do not believe their children should utilize,” and “ensures curriculum and teacher professional development align with required instruction and state standards, including no CRT or Common Core.”
DeSantis’ argument has been that LGBT activists, liberal pundits, politicians, and the mainstream media have ignored the plain text of the legislation in claiming that educators, or anyone else in Florida, is not allowed to “say gay,” if it becomes law, as expected.
Last week, the conservative website The Daily Wire tested DeSantis’ stance.
A poll of 1,000 people, only 32 percent of whom were Republicans. The survey asked in part whether respondents supported or disagreed with the key provision of the bill, which states: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through third grade or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
“The poll results,” The Daily Wire noted, “indicate that Americans across racial, party, and age lines support the Florida proposal.”
Overall, 64 percent of those surveyed said they support the ban on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3, or also in higher grades “if it is not presented in a manner that is age or developmentally appropriate.” Just 21 percent opposed the bill.
That ratio was pretty consistent across the board, The Daily Wire noted, as supporters of the Parental Rights in Education measure included:
- 69 percent of Republicans
- 62 percent of Democrats
- 57 percent of Independents
- 63 percent of whites
- 66 percent of blacks
- 62 percent of Hispanics
- 68 percent of parents
In a statement to the news site, Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, said, “This polling reflects what our common sense already tells us. Only fanatics think the classroom curriculum from kindergarten through 3rd grade should include teaching little children about gender identity.”
The Daily Wire also polled respondents on whether it was appropriate for teachers those those early grades to instruct students on “various sexual orientations” or “gender identities.”
The outcome: roughly two-thirds answered that it was inappropriate. Only one in five said yes.
DeSantis’ press secretary, Christina Pushaw, told The Daily Wire, “Most Floridians, no matter their orientation, agree that instruction on sexuality and gender theory is inappropriate in grades K-3.”
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