All of Florida’s public school teachers are effectively banned from providing classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity, the State Board of Education decided Wednesday.
The board unanimously voted for a rule that expands through 12th grade the state’s controversial 2022 Parental Rights in Education law. Critics dubbed the law “don’t say gay,” arguing it wrongly silences all mentions of LGBTQ people in school and unfairly suggests teachers were acting inappropriately.
The newly amended rule, approved at the board’s meeting in Tallahassee, says teachers in grades 4 to 12 “shall not intentionally provide classroom instruction” on sexual orientation or gender identity unless “expressly” required by state standards, such as in a health education class.
