Battle over inclusive education heats up as multiple states consider parental rights laws

What You Need To Know!

• Republican lawmakers in multiple states are pursuing their own versions of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, which prohibits teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom.
• Florida’s state Board of Education is set to vote on an effort to expand the ban on lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4 to 12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take.
• At least 30 proposals similar to Florida’s law have been filed in 16 states, and they make up more than a quarter of the bills filed this year to restrict what can be taught in the classroom.

Republican lawmakers in several states are proposing their own versions of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, which prohibits teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom.

Florida’s law was signed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis last year and bans those lessons in kindergarten through third grade alongside any instruction that could be deemed inappropriate for students. GOP lawmakers pushing for similar limits on what can be taught in public schools claim that they are ways to protect children from being taught about inappropriate material.

Critics have derisively called the Florida measure the “don’t say gay” law and insist that it is marginalizing LGBTQ people and creating a chilling effect on what teachers and students can discuss.

The Florida state Board of Education is set to vote next month on an effort by DeSantis’ administration to ban lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4 to 12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take.

The governor’s education department commissioner, Manny Diaz Jr., said that the administration’s move to extend the ban to the 12th grade is intended to clarify confusion around what is deemed age-appropriate in later grades and to reinforce that teachers adhere to existing state standards that guide curriculums.

However, the White House was quick to slam the proposed rule expansion as news about it percolated on Wednesday.

“It’s wrong. It’s completely, utterly wrong. Make no mistake, this is part of a disturbing and dangerous trend that we’re seeing across the country of legislation that is anti-LGBTQI+, anti-trans in a way we have not seen in some time.” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing,

At least 30 proposals similar to Florida’s law have been filed in 16 states, and they make up more than a quarter of the bills filed this year to restrict what can be taught in the classroom. Two other states, Alabama and Arkansas, have enacted laws similar to Florida’s since last year.

Alabama’s law prohibits classroom instruction in public schools on gender identity or sexual orientation from kindergarten through 5th grade “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

Arkansas’ prohibition was adopted as part of a 145-page education overhaul signed this month by Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders that also included a new school voucher program and an increase in teacher minimum pay.

The law prohibits classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation before 5th grade.

Source: newsmax.com