She said for many LGBTQ children, trusted teachers can be a source of comfort to discuss their feelings. "He told us about how he hates the bill that passed this past session and he will fight with us," she said. RELATED: Florida bill requires high school students take financial literacy class Madeline Kopka, an 18-year-old high school student from Tallahassee, also was on the call. He's going to do everything he can from the federal level to make sure that our kids are still going to be protected and respected." "I wish our governor was as supportive as our secretary of education," said Jennifer Solomon, a Miami-Dade County parent of a lesbian and a non-gender conforming 11-year-old son. They described the legislation as unnecessary and divisive. People on the call with Cardona said DeSantis is pushing backwards acceptance of LGBTQ people. "Developmentally appropriate education, which means no sex and gender theory instruction in grades K-3, promotes kids’ emotional well being."ĭeSantis has clashed with the Biden administration on a number of issues, from the coronavirus pandemic to immigration. "We would say to Secretary Cardona the same thing we would say to anyone else with concerns about the bill - they should read it carefully in its final form, and not be misled by false media narratives," DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw said in an email. RELATED: Florida Senate passes gender identity, sexual orientation in education billĭeSantis has been outspoken in his support, saying that as a father of three young children, he doesn't want them to be "sexualized" in kindergarten.
The bill states: "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." Parents would be able to sue districts over violations.