Following the passage of HB 1577 two years ago and its expansion, a new settlement was announced clarifying the details of the bill. The Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, is still a stirring topic among Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys. Florida classrooms are now in the clear for discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity so long as it’s not used as instruction material. The bill does not apply to library books if they are not being used for instruction in the classroom.
Plaintiffs (a group including students, parents, educators and LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations) blamed the law, signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022, for causing confusion among teachers of early grades. They did not know if they could identify themselves as LGBTQ+ or have pictures of their families or rainbow stickers in classrooms.
Under the new settlement, school districts will receive directions from the Florida Board of Education saying the Florida law doesn’t prohibit discussing LGBTQ+ people, prevent anti-bullying rules on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, or disband Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) groups.
“What this settlement does, is, it re-establishes the fundamental principal, that I hope all Americans agree with, which is every kid in this country is entitled to an education at a public school where they feel safe, their dignity is respected and where their families and parents are welcomed,” Roberta Kaplan, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in an interview.
A statement made by Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office described the deal as a “major win” since the Parental Rights in Education Act remains an effective law. It has also now been clarified that the law is neutral, therefore, the rules that apply to LGBTQ+ people are also true for heterosexual and cisgender people.
