Florida Parental Rights Bill Moving Through State Legislature

Despite intense contention about the Florida Parental Rights in Education Bill, it has advanced out of committee.

QUICK FACTS:

• Despite intense contention about the Florida Parental Rights in Education Bill it has advanced out of committee.
• The Florida Parental Rights in Education Bill has advanced out of committee despite pushback from the left, according to Decision Magazine.
• The legislation allows parents to have access to their children’s records and requires that they be involved in all critical decisions regarding their children’s mental, emotional and physical well-being, according to the publication.
• The legislation’s detractors have branded it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, saying that it targets children who associate themselves with the LGBTQ lifestyle.
• The bill states that “a school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

When the @POTUS calls legislation “hateful” because it gives parents a a right to nurture and raise their YOUNG children, POTUS IS SICK. SB 1834: Parental Rights in Education is attached. https://t.co/FScybc7LLz @FoxNews https://t.co/0So6N9BHeX

— Pamela Jean Halterman Campbell Price (@mikepamelap) February 9, 2022

MORE ON THE BILL’S PURPOSE:

• Rep. Joe Harding, a sponsor of the bill asserted that the bill is intended to protect children, not “attack” children saying that, “The bill is designed to keep school districts from talking about [sexual orientation and gender identity] before kids are ready to process them. I don’t think it’s controversial to empower parents.”
•  “Kids can and they will talk about whatever they want at school. We just want to make sure that teachers promote that discussion at the right age level, and we want to make sure that parents are kept in the loop.”
• Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled his support for the bill saying, “Schools need to be teaching kids to read, to write,” he told reporters Feb. 7. “They need to teach them science, history. We need more civics and understanding of the U.S. Constitution, what makes our country unique, all [that] basic stuff. The larger issue with all of this is parents must have a seat at the table when it comes to what’s going on in their schools,” DeSantis added.

BACKGROUND:

• The Biden administration previously weighed in on the bill, White Press Secretary Jen Psaki stating that the administration was of the opinion that bills like this one would cause “kids from the LGBTQI+ community” to potentially suffer bullying.
• Harding responded to the statement saying that “the president and his team decided to distort the truth and outright lie about my bill that empowers parents.”