On March 28, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) signed a bill into law prohibiting school instructors from addressing subjects of gender identity and sexual orientation specifically in kindergarten through third grade classes.
“The Parental Rights in Education” was a law that was created because of the belief that students are not at the age-appropriate to touch the topic.
The bill’s verbiage gives parents the freedom on when and how they want to introduce the topic of sexual orentation to their children.
“We’re taking a firm stand in Florida for parents when we say instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation and does not belong in the classroom where they are 5- and 6-year-old children are learning. It should be up to the parent to decide if and when to introduce the topic,” said speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Chris Sprowls.
The new law gives parents the ability to sue schools when feeling that the policy has been violated.
In addition the bill also gives parents access to be notified first and be able to make the decision to reject any offer on behalf of the child on any health or supported services that is given to them in school.
How is it going to work?
According to the Florida Department of Education website in the beginning of the school year the school will provide the parents information about the health services that will be provided.
However, some feel these decisions can harm the kids more than actually help them.
“This can lead to kids not even wanting to have the conversation with their parents about it. Kids are going to grow up confused because they are going to feel what they feel is wrong. Which is going to affect them more than it is going to help them, ” said Krystal Garibay, a freshman in Delta.
Nationwide the bill has been called the “don’t say gay” bill and has received backlash for it’s exclusionary focus.
Others think the bill is pointless because these subjects are not even touched in the classroom on that grade level and the focus.
“I think kids that age already know about all that so banning kids from it is unnecessary and plus that is something that is not even taught in school it just seems that there’s no point of the bill,” said Marisabella Mena, a student at Delta.
These decisions can also give kids an identity crisis and make them feel left out.
“If a kid is familiar with the topic (LGBTQ) or identity they can feel left out or not accepted,” said Mena.
According to The Trevor Project, a mental and suicide conseling program that supports the young LGBTQ community, the young LGBTQ community suffer a higher risk of suicide than others and this bill can increase the risk.
The Trevor Project has not hesitated to speak about the new bill. It believes that students feel safer and less at risk of suicide when they affirm at school that they are accepted regardless of their gender identity. This bill can erase all the rights students feel.
According to the Trevor Project website “Youth who learn about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23% lower odds of reporting attempts in the past year. This bill will erase young LGBTQ students across Florida, forcing many back into the closet,” said Sam Ames, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at the Trevor Project.
