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Don’t Say Arican American History Standards
Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, signed into law the Parental Rights in Education Act in 2022. It said that classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity by school officials or third parties is not permitted in kindergarten through third grade or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for pupils in accordance with state standards.
Democrats immediately denounced the new measure as anti-LBGT+ and dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”
Sex education occurs in either the fourth or fifth grade, when students reach puberty. But SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, a non-profit that advocates for comprehensive sexuality education, believes that sex education should begin in kindergarten. Students, in their opinion, should be prepared for the changes that their bodies will go through during puberty.
The Parental Rights in Education Act of Florida didn’t dispute puberty preparation. It simply said that discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity are inappropriate for students in grades K-3.
The real issue was when schools should discuss sexual orientation and gender identity. Should this happen before or during puberty? Republicans in Florida decided it should happen after K-3, but they never said it shouldn’t happen at all.