Florida expands Don’t Say Gay law through 12th grade

The Florida Board of Education has officially expanded the state’s ban on acknowledging LGBTQ+ identities in the classroom.

The current Don’t Say Gay law bans discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3, and the board’s new policy now extends those restrictions through grade 12.

The board voted in favor of the change after anti-LGBTQ+ Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) administration proposed it.

The updated policy states that public school teachers “shall not intentionally provide classroom instruction to students in grades 4 through 12 on sexual orientation or gender identity unless such instruction is either expressly required by state academic standards… or is part of a reproductive health course or health lesson for which a student’s parent has the option to have his or her student not attend.”

According to ABC News, the Board’s vote came after a public hearing in which opponents blasted the new rule for censoring free speech, as well as for its vague language.

One person argued that “there’s no…

Read full story, and more, from Source: Florida expands Don’t Say Gay law through 12th grade

Share

About Gay Today

Editor of Gay Today