White House slams Florida Republicans over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The White House denounced Florida Republicans for advancing the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
• The measure would prohibit discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in schools.
• Gov. Ron DeSantis signaled support for the bill but did not say whether he would sign it.

The White House on Tuesday condemned Florida Republicans for advancing the Parental Rights in Education bill.

The bill, introduced by state Sen. Joe Harding (R), would ban teachers in Florida from discussing LGBTQ+ topics that are not considered “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Under the bill, parents could sue school districts if they believe the district to be in violation.

The White House released a statement about the legislation, dubbed as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, following its approval by the GOP-controlled committee.

“Every parent hopes that our leaders will ensure their children’s safety, protection, and freedom. Today, conservative politicians in Florida rejected those basic values by advancing legislation that is designed to target and attack the kids who need support the most – LGBTQI+ students, who are already vulnerable to bullying and violence just for being themselves,” the White House statement read.

The bill states that “a school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

The bill has already been introduced to the state House of Representatives. Activist groups condemn the measure, arguing that it would marginalize LGBTQ children and families and suppress discussions about LGBTQ history.

Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley, who sponsored the proposal, insisted that the bill wouldn’t ban spontaneous discussions but would prohibit school districts from incorporating LGBTQ topics into the curriculum.

“Some discussions are for with your parents. And I think when you start opening sexual-type discussions with children, you’re entering a very dangerous zone,” Baxley said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday suggested that he backs the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. On Tuesday, the governor said, “I haven’t looked at any particulars of anything but I do think you’ve seen instances in which kids are encouraged to be doing stuff with like a gender ideology and I think the parents really do need to be involved in that.”

Source: HuffPost