“This is not a ‘parents’ rights’ issue. This is discrimination, plain and simple. It’s part of a disturbing and dangerous national trend of right-wing politicians cynically targeting students, educators, and LGBTQI+ individuals to score political points.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
In the press release, Jean-Pierre points out that teachers who are part of LGBTQI groups have been forced to remove family photos where their partners appear from their classrooms, as well as the badges of safe spaces for students who are part of sexually diverse communities.
This law “encourages bullying and threatens the mental health, physical safety and well-being of students. It censors dedicated teachers and educators who want to do the right thing and support their students. And it must stop,” Jean-Pierre said.
More laws come into force
In addition to “Don’t say gay”, other laws promoted by Governor DeSantis come into force this Friday and have been considered discriminatory.
The educational battle in Florida is also centered on the Critical Race Theory, a doctrine that proposes to study the country’s past slavery and segregation as the origin of current racism.
On March 10, the state Parliament approved the law HB7 or Law of Individual Freedom, which indicates that all individuals are equal before the law and have inalienable rights, but that prohibits the teaching of racial issues in official school programs.
Another controversial law also comes into effect: SB 1028, on equity in sports, prohibiting transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sports school environment with the argument that in this way the “integrity” of these competences is protected.
“We’re going to be based on biology and not ideology when it comes to sports,” DeSantis said when he signed the bill in June 2021.