Florida committee passes bill banning LGBTQ+ discussions in schools
According to reports, lawmakers passed the legislation – which is informally known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill – on 20 January.
Under HB 1557, elementary school teachers – ranging between kindergarten and fifth grade – would be forbidden to highlight queer topics.
The bill also limits LGBTQ+ resources and allows school officials the right to “out” students to their parents without consent.
Shortly after the bill passed, Equality Florida press secretary Brandon J Wolf condemned the decision in a statement to the Los Angeles Blade. “Today, the Don’t Say Gay bill, a piece of legislation to erase discussion of LGBTQ people from schools in Florida, passed its first committee and became another component of an agenda designed to police us in our classrooms, doctor’s offices, and workplaces,” he said.
