PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Activists are worried about the consequences that a proposed law could have on students in Florida public schools who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or who are questioning their sexuality.
Florida’s proposed Parental Rights in Education bill, better known as the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, aims to ban talking about gender identity or sexual orientation at schools.
North Miami Councilmember Scott Galvin is the executive director of Safe Schools South Florida, an organization with the goal of preventing the bullying of LGBTQ youth.
“The legislation that is being proposed, the ones that we are here to fight tonight, are rolling back the clock,” Galvin said from behind a podium at a rally against the bill on Tuesday night in Wilton Manors.
Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, filed it as SB 1834 on Jan. 7, and Rep. Joe Harding, R-Williston, filed it as HB 1557 on Jan. 11. The bill aims to allow parents to file lawsuits if the topics are discussed in school.
Jon Harris Maurer, Equality Florida’s public policy director, was at the House education and employment committee hearing that moved the bill forward on Jan. 21.
“We are appalled by the bill’s provision to ban schools from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in primary grades,” Maurer said during the hearing.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, asked Maurer why he wanted to fight for “the government” to have these conversations and not parents. Maurer said he hopes Fine is having those conversations with his kids.
The bill is on track to become state law. As of Friday afternoon, the Senate bill was in the education committee and the House bill was in the judicial committee.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami, the vice-chair of the education committee, released a statement on Friday accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republicans of using the “blatantly hostile” legislation to attack the state’s most vulnerable communities.
“Every Florida student, including our LGBTQ+ kids, deserves to learn in safe, inclusive environments where they are treated with dignity and respect — not be further isolated, stigmatized, or dehumanized because of who they are,” Jones wrote. “Conversations about gender identity and orientation are not taboo topics to be regulated by the Florida Legislature.”
Bill in Florida Senate
Bill in Florida House
Maurer at the Jan. 21 hearing