The Florida Board of Education on Wednesday approved Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ request to expand his Parental Rights in Education law, which currently prevents school employees or third parties from giving classroom instruction on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” in elementary school.
The move will expand the rule, which currently only applies to kindergarten through 3rd grade, to all grades unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take.
The proposal will take effect for 4th through 12th grade in the state after a procedural notice period that lasts about a month, according to an education department spokesman.
DeSantis has not commented on the proposal. He previously directed questions to Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., who said it was meant to clarify confusion around the existing law and reinforce that teachers should not deviate from existing curriculums.
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“We’re not removing anything here,” Diaz Jr. said Wednesday. “All we are doing is we are setting the expectations, so our teachers are clear: that they are to teach to the standards.”
The original bill, which passed last year, has been dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by Democrats who falsely claim it bans any discussion pertaining to being gay in the state’s schools.
President Biden called it a “hateful bill” last February.
However, the current law does not ban the word “gay” in school settings, and it does not ban casual discussions of topics relating to sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Also, contrary to some claims by LGBTQ groups, the law does not require schools to notify parents if their child comes out as gay or transgender.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.