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The State Board of Education unanimously voted for a proposal that would largely prohibit instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools.
Last year, the legislature and Governor DeSantis approved what critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” law. Now, the State Department of Education passed a similar proposal sponsored by Chancellor Paul Burns.
“These rules will continue to ensure that educators engage in standards-based instruction that is age and developmentally-appropriate.” Burns said
During public comment at the State Board of Education meeting, most people spoke against the rule. That includes Joe Saunders with the LGBT activist group Equality Florida.
“Like the legislature, the board has provided no definitions for what instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity means, even as you’ve stretched the impact of this terrible policy into every classroom in the state.”
However, some spoke in favor, such as Jessica Graham from Moms for Liberty.
“This rule takes some of the stress and pressure off of our amazing teachers and allows them to focus on the subjects they are trained to teach. The conversations this rule addresses are not a school or teacher’s responsibility to have.”
The State Board of Education unanimously supported the rule change.
Meanwhile, there are bills in the legislature expanding on Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law. If passed, the bills would broaden the prohibition on sexual orientation and gender identity to pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
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