Florida

STOKING FEAR AMONG TEACHERS
Teachers speak out against Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill

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IMPACTING THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Businesses oppose Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ ban on discussion of LGBTQ issues in public schools

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STUDENT WALK OUTS

Gainesville High School students walk out in protest of "Don't Say Gay" Bill [ALACHUA]

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EXACERBATING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE
'I cannot teach in Florida': LGBTQ educators fear fallout from new school law

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IMPACTING THE PUBLIC SECTOR 

Disney to Lose Special Tax Status in Florida Amid ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Clash

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IMPACTS ON LGBTQ FAMILIES 

Same-sex parents living in Alachua County grapple with increase of anti-LGTBQ bills filed [ALACHUA]

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CONFUSION AND OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Vague language in law results in confusion, fear at district level, causing districts to interpret law as conservatively as possible, implementing rules that are not mandated by the new law [DUVAL - dress codes, pronouns]

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LACK OF GUIDANCE 

Without any guidance from the state, even leaders recognize the law in unable to be implemented. DOE issues memo stating that law will only apply to K-3 until guidance for later grades can be issued, causing even more confusion among districts.

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CONFUSION AND OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Vague language in law results in confusion, fear at district level, causing districts to interpret law as conservatively as possible, implementing rules that are not mandated by the new law [ORANGE - T's CAN'T have rainbow stickers, then they CAN]

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FEAR AMONG STUDENTS 

Among law that leaves nearly every decision about students' learning and wellbeing up to parents, LGBTQ students scared, nervous - particularly those with unaccepting and unsupportive families

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CONFUSION AND OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Confusion among school boards on what is and isn't allowed, aligned under 1557 [Miami-Dade School Board Rejects New Textbooks With Sex Education Curriculum; Reversing a Reversal, Miami School Board Accepts Sex Ed Books It Had Rejected]

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CONFUSION AND OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Vague language in law results in confusion, fear at district level, causing districts to interpret law as conservatively as possible, implementing rules that are not mandated by the new law [LEON-gym class, support guide]

 

EMBOLDENED EXTREMISM 

Florida school board candidate says doctors who treat trans kids 'should be hanging' from a tree

 

DISTRICTS SET UP FOR FAILURE

HB 1557 and others similar across states spurred Biden Administration to issue new Title IX guidance centered around protecting transgender students. Shortly after, FLDOE issues memo to schools, district instructing them not to follow guidance, because it would be dangerous to do so and they would be open to lawsuits for not following new state law. ((Meanwhile, four districts (G19) are already getting sued FOR following new state law.))

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IMPACTING PUBLIC SECTOR BUSINESS

DeSantis files complaint against Miami restaurant after kids attend drag show, citing 1947 ruling on ‘men impersonating women’. (Bill helping to catalyze a culture of targeting any interaction, in any setting, between LGBTQ people and children)

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CONFUSION AND BURDEN FOR TEACHERS

Florida teachers race to remake lessons as DeSantis laws take effect

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ED LAWS USED AS LEVERAGE IN OTHER ANTI-LGBTQ LEGISLATION

Building off the political momentum gained from HB 1557 and others, state leaders now seek to limit healthcare for LGBTQ youth--again, following patterns in other states.

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NO GUIDANCE AT ANY LEVEL 

Revised student progression plan simply reiterates language from new laws without defining terms that teachers must know in order to protect their livelihoods (and in order to avoid becoming a liability to their school) [CHARLOTTE]

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EXACERBATING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE

Teachers say political battles over race, LGBTQ issues, are driving them out of Florida classrooms

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CENSORING LGBTQ BOOKS 

A Florida school district added a parental 'advisory notice' to over 100 books

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UNDUE BURDEN ON TEACHERS, ADMINS

School leaders grapple with new rules for upcoming year

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FUELING HATE ONLINE 

Anti-LBGTQ Hate Online Rose Sharply After Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Passed

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TEACHERS UNDER A MICROSCOPE 

Teachers across the state feel anxious, worried about bill's impacts on the way they can teach, whether they may be sued

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VILIFYING TRANS KIDS 

This bill has stoked such fear among teachers, students, while emboldening conservative legislators to make unfounded attacks on individual trans kids. Doing so will create more unnecessary panic and set the stage for an anti-trans bathroom bill in 2023.

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CONFUSION AMONG TEACHERS 

So-Called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Confuses Some Florida Schools

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ALL SUPPORTS FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS ERASED 

Manny Diaz, when he was a legislator carrying HB 1557 through, promised the bill (which restricts only instruction) would not impact non-curricular things like student srevices, clubs, supports, etc. Now, as Ed Commissioner, he bans students support guides across the state. Florida Educational commissioner gives go ahead to 'pull' LGBTQ support guides for students

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FL TEACHERS RECRUITED TO OTHER STATES

North Dakota district recruiting Florida teachers upset by 'Don't Say Gay' law

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FURTHER EVIDENCE: TEACHERS CONFUSED, SCHOOLS LEFT TO NAVIGATE VAGUE AND CONFLICTING RULES 

Back to School in DeSantis’s Florida, as Teachers Look Over Their Shoulders

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CHILLING EFFECT ON TEACHERS 

‘It’s had a chilling effect’: Florida teachers anxious about ‘don’t say gay’ bill

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OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Students who want to change their name or pronouns in Sarasota schools must now get parental permission, meaning students must out themselves to their families in order to get permission to be addressed the correct way at school. [SARASOTA]

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TOTAL LGBTQ ERASURE 

Miami-Dade School Board to vote on whether to recognize LGBTQ history month post ‘Don’t Say Gay’

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OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Pasco Schools order removal of ‘safe space’ stickers showing support for LGBTQ students [PASCO]

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OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Miami Dade school board rejects resolution to acknowledge October as LGBTQ History month, citing DSG. Strategy: Legislators used the vague language in 1557 to make it seem palatable enough to pass at the state level, knowing it would be overextended in this way because districts have no choice but to implement it as conservatively as possible. The bill includes a PCOA that means districts could be sued if they violate a law that they don't understand. [MIAMI DADE]

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IMPACTING THE PUBLIC SECTOR 

Games Done Quick, one of the largest esports and video game competitions in the world, has announced it will not hold its event in person this coming year because DSG has made the state unsafe for its participants.

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MORE DIFFICULT TO ADOPT MATERIALS THAN TO START FROM SCRATCH 

Duval County school board recently convened to decide whether to adopt inclusive supplemental sex ed materials, but district leaders decided that it is easier to abide by all the mandates of the new law if the district creates their own instead. This is surprising given the immense time and capacity it takes to do so. Duval school district decides to write its own material for sex-education supplement [DUVAL]

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STOKING FEAR AMONG STUDENTS 

Critics say new school policies in Florida ostracize LGBTQ students

 

UNCERTAINTY AMONG TEACHERS 

With Their Licenses in Jeopardy, Florida Teachers Unsure How the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law Will Be Applied

 

OVER-IMPLEMENTATION 

Florida state board approves strict implementation of anti-LGBTQ laws. Florida school board sets rules for HB 7 and HB 1557 far more strict than what the law mandates, such as restrictions around bathroom and facilities use.

 

EXACERBATING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE

Fla. to strip licenses of K-3 teachers who discuss gender identity, sexuality

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BLUEPRINT CREATED 

Members of Congress introduced a bill, closely modeled after FL's Don't Say Gay, after it saw success in numerous states. FL state leaders have now created a blueprint for conservative leaders nationally to pass harmful legislation. A national ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law? Republicans introduce bill to restrict LGBTQ-related programs