What the Florida Parental Rights Bill says

I'd think this is common sense. Here is a link to the seven page text of the actual bill (I read it; happy to email it to anyone requesting it) - House Bill (HB) 1557  -Below is from the Catholic League with the purportedly controversial sections.

 reaction to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his support for parental rights:

 

Most people have never read the bill. If they listened to those branding it the "Don't Say Gay" bill, they would think it is a hate speech bill. This is a total lie.

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Here are some of the highlights of the bill:

 

• • School district school boards must "reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children in a specified manner."
  • School district personnel are prohibited from "discouraging or prohibiting parental notification and involvement in critical decisions affecting a student's mental, emotional, or physical well-being."
  • School district personnel are prohibited from "classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in specified manner."
  • "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."

 

Who could possibly object to these standards of common sense and common decency? (Most of the following comments were made prior to the bill's passage.)

 

President Biden called the bill "hateful." Disney said it "should never have passed and should never have been signed into law." Oscar hosts slammed it, jumping and screaming, "gay, gay, gay."

 

Ana Navarro whined that "the message it sends is a very chilling one for LGBTQ families." Whoopi Goldberg said the bill is "shaming" queers and "punishing" teachers. Andy Cohen labeled it "one big dog whistle" that is "scaring people into spewing hate and discrimination at the LGBTQ community."

 

Gay rights groups are just as irresponsible.

 

The Human Rights Campaign complained that "LGBTQ+ students may wonder if they're allowed to even acknowledge their own sexuality or gender identity." Nadine Smith from Equality Florida charged that DeSantis "attacked parents and children in our state by invoking hateful anti-LGBTQ stereotypes."

 

Lambda Legal blasted the bill for giving "the 'green light' to teach intolerance, allow harassment, and fail to confront violence against LGBTQ+ youth and their families."

 

An editorial in the Washington Post said proponents of the bill "invoke the bogeyman of school systems infringing on 'parental rights,' arguing that such conversations should be led by parents and families."

Kara Swisher, a New York Times opinion writer, said, "Let's call it what it is, trans- and homophobia."

Comments

[maria]

Thank you for providing the actual text.