![dont say gay definition dont say gay definition](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1997458/dont-say-gay-bill-amendments-rejected.jpg)
Some people have suggested that critics of the bill are misinformed about how far-ranging it is - saying that it does not affect students in grade four or higher. It says by “addressing LGBTQ+ issues in school, we are NOT talking about SEX with your children - we are talking about family, identity, and respect for others.” It is unclear whether the bill only affects grades K-3 The guidance includes definitions of terms related to sexual orientation and gender identity - including gay, lesbian and transgender - that teachers are encouraged to use when applicable. Pushaw said that not including a topic in a curriculum does not mean it won’t be brought up in classroom instruction, pointing to a guide used by Palm Beach County Schools intended to create a “safer place for all students.” The Florida Department of Education told PolitiFact that sexual orientation and gender identity are not included in the curriculum taught in the state’s kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. Petersburg, tried multiple times to amend the bill to bar instruction of “human sexuality,” another effort to make the bill less about identity. They also tried to narrow the bill to specifically bar classroom instruction on “sexual activity.” Sen. “I am not aware of any K-3 grade teacher that is campaigning or ‘social engineering’ students to be LGBTQ such that it could be studied to tell whether or not such a campaign could be successful,” Mann told PolitiFact.ĭemocratic lawmakers tried to amend the provision to prohibit classroom instruction intended to change a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity. When we asked DeSantis about his statement, press secretary Christina Pushaw said that DeSantis is trying to prevent indoctrination.Īngela Mann, associate professor of child psychology at the University of North Florida, said she was not aware of any research showing classroom lessons could alter sexual orientation or gender identity. “Suggesting that sexual orientation or gender identity is ‘contagious’ is not based in fact.”īaxley did not respond to PolitiFact’s request for evidence.
![dont say gay definition dont say gay definition](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71UbBreYJKL.__AC_SX342_QL70_ML2_.jpg)
Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala) the bill’s Senate sponsor who said he was addressing “social engineering” that could result in more children identifying as gay or transgender.īrandon Wolf, press secretary of LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida, said these tropes may further stigmatize LGBTQ students. These statements echo remarks by state Sen. “First graders should not have woke gender ideology imposed in their curriculum, and that is what we are standing for,” DeSantis said. In a campaign-style video shared by Fox News, DeSantis addressed criticism of the bill in front of a friendly crowd: “In the state of Florida, we are not going to allow them to inject transgenderism into kindergarten.” Supporters said the measure is intended to push back on attempts to incorporate gender identity and sexual orientation into the education of young children. Unproven claims about ‘social engineering’ and injecting ‘transgenderism into kindergarten’ PolitiFact looked at three claims about HB 1557 that have generated considerable discussion, correcting inaccuracies and adding context. Ambiguous language about classroom lessons means content in older grades could be affected, too. Much remains unclear about how school districts would implement this ban - matters that will likely be settled in court. And the bill allows parents to file lawsuits against school districts they believe violated the legislation.
![dont say gay definition dont say gay definition](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/IMG00010-20110501-1153-500x375.jpg)
In addition to barring instruction in elementary-age classrooms that touch on sexual orientation or gender identity, the bill will also prohibit schools from withholding information from parents regarding their child’s mental, emotional or physical health. But critics nicknamed HB 1557 the “don’t say gay” bill, warning it isn’t necessary and makes some students feel unsafe by singling out LGBTQ material as dangerous and inappropriate. Supporters hailed the need for parents, and not teachers, to have control over such discussions, part of a broader push to control the content of classroom lessons. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who has stood up for the bill as it has come under criticism from Walt Disney World, LGBTQ activists, the Biden White House and “ Saturday Night Live.” State lawmakers approved a bill that would prohibit classroom instruction on these issues in kindergarten through third grade. The most recent fight is over sexual orientation and gender identity. Florida classrooms have become a site of regular battles in the culture wars.