Education Secretary says he will be ‘monitoring’ Florida’s new ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law for civil rights violations
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Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Monday evening said his office would be monitoring Florida’s new Parental Rights in Education – known to its critics as “Don’t Say Gay” – for potential civil rights violations. The law, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday, would prevent primary school teachers from engaging in classroom instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
Since being introduced in January, the bill, which also prohibits Florida public school educators of all grade levels from addressing sexual orientation or gender identity in a manner that is not considered “age appropriate or developmentally appropriate” for children, has been criticized for allegedly singling out young LGBTQ+ people or students with LGBTQ+ family members.
Proponents of the now-law have long argued that its only intention is to strengthen the role of parents in their children’s education.
In a statement Monday following DeSantis’ signature, Cardona accused the governor and others of targeting some of Florida’s most vulnerable under the guise of parental rights.
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“Make no mistake: this is a part of a disturbing and dangerous trend across the country of legislation targeting LGBTQI+ students, educators, and individuals,” he said, referring to the more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently under consideration in state legislatures across the country.
Dozens of those bills would specifically discriminate against LGBTQ+ youth in schools, according to the nonprofit Freedom for All Americans.
Cardona in his statement pointed to recent research suggesting LGBTQ+ youth are up to four times more likely than non-LGBTQ+ young people to report feeling depressed or anxious or engaging in self-harm. According to the LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention group The Trevor Project, 42 percent of LGBTQ+ young people have seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
“Instead of telling some students or families it’s not okay to be who they are, our Department is fighting for dignity and opportunity for every student and family,” Cardona said, adding that the Education Department will be “monitoring” the new law once it takes effect in July to “evaluate whether it violates federal civil rights law.”
Legal experts have also speculated that the new law may violate the First Amendment, which protects the freedom of speech, by creating an environment where teachers chill their speech.
Cardona has been a vocal critic of Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, calling the legislation “hateful” earlier this moth in a statement after it had been approved by the state legislature.
The secretary in his March 8 statement noted that existing Education Department policy prevents places like schools that receive federal funding from discriminating against students or staff based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
On Monday, Cardona encouraged students who believe they may be experiencing discrimination, including harassment at school, to file a complaint with the Department’s Office of Civil Rights.
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