Florida Parental Rights In Education Act

The Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly known as the Don't Say Gay act or as the Don't Say Gay or Trans act, is a Florida state law passed in 2022 that enacts several new statutes for public schools in Florida, which prohibits public schools from having "classroom discussion" or giving "classroom instruction" on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through to third grade or in any manner deemed to be against state standards in all grades; prohibits public schools from adopting procedures or student support forms that maintain the confidentially of a disclosure by a student, including the confidentially of a disclose by a student of their sexual orientation or gender identity, from parents; and prohibits public schools from preventing parents from accessing the education and health records of students.

The Florida House of Representatives passed the bill in a 69 to 47 vote on February 24, 2022, with 68 Republicans and 1 Democrat voting for it and 40 Democrats and 7 Republicans voting against it. The Florida Senate passed the bill in a 22 to 17 vote on March 8, 2022, with 22 Republicans voting for it and 15 Democrats and 2 Republicans voting against it. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill on March 28, 2022, and it went into effect on July 1, 2022. The main nationwide organization for LGBT rights in the United States and the main statewide organization for LGBT rights in Florida, the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Florida, responded by stating that DeSantis had "placed Florida squarely on the wrong side of history" and "attacked parents and children in our state" by signing the bill.

It has been described as the "Don't Say Gay" act or as the "Don't Say Gay or Trans" act by its opponents who have criticized it for prohibiting education about the LGBT community, LGBT history, LGBT rights, and same-sex marriage in early grades and restricting such education in any manner that is deemed to be against state standards in all grades; for potentially censoring classroom discussion about LGBT families by the children of LGBT parents; and for potentially forcing public schools to out LGBT children against their will to parents not accepting of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The opponents include students, parents, pediatricians, psychologists, civil rights and human rights organizations, the United States, the United Nations, lawyers, and major businesses. The Walt Disney Company was vocal in its opposition following pressure from its employees, precipitating in an ongoing feud between Disney and DeSantis, which precipitated in the elimination of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Massive walkouts were held by students in middle schools and high schools across Florida and throughout the United States in opposition to what they described as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, with large crowds of students chanting "We Say Gay", "Gay Lives Matter", and "We Fight For Gay Rights" in response.

Etymology

The act is officially titled the "Parental Rights in Education Act" and is described as "An act relating to parental rights in education" in the act itself.

It is more commonly known as the "Don't Say Gay" act or as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, as it has been described in headlines by most prominent news agency in the world, the Associated Press; prominent domestic newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times; prominent domestic news media, including ABC, CNN, and Fox News; and prominent foreign news media, including ABC (Australia), BBC
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