The big picture: The bill, which takes effect on July 1st, has provoked reactions across the country, including protests among students and teachers, as well as public opposition from business leaders.
For higher grades, the bill states that teaching must be “age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate” according to state academic standards. It also allows parents to sue schools or teachers who deal with these issues. DeSantis and Republicans argue that parents should be the ones to raise the issue of sexual orientation and gender identity in their children, but critics say the bill is tantamount to censorship. People have also expressed concern that highlighting LGBTQ issues in this way suggests that they are inappropriate.
What they say: “We will make sure that parents can send their children to school for education, not catechism,” DeSantis said before signing HB-1557 at the Classical Preparatory School in Spring Hill.
He accused critics of the bill of advocating “sexualizing children in kindergarten… injecting aroused gender ideology into the second grade… allowing schools to ‘transfer students to the opposite sex without parental knowledge, much less without parental consent’ ». “I do not care what the corporate media says, what Hollywood says, what the big companies say. I stand here. I do not back down.”
The other side: Florida’s LGBTQ Equality advocacy group, along with politicians such as State MP Michele Rayner (D-St. Petersburg), held their own press conference after the signing, accusing DeSantis of firing critics of the bill and putting the children to death. at risk to promote a future presidential election platform.
Equality Florida is setting up a legal defense fund to support young LGBTQs and their families who believe the bill violates their rights. “The litigation is coming and it will be fast and hard,” said Joe Saunders, senior executive director of Equality Florida.
“Every student deserves to feel safe and welcome in the classroom. Our LGBTQI + youth deserve to be reaffirmed and accepted as they really are,” President Biden wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon.
“My government will continue to fight for dignity and opportunities for every student and family – in Florida and across the country.”
Disney issued a statement shortly after DeSantis signed the bill, criticizing it as saying “it should never have been passed and should never have been signed into law.”
“Our goal as a company is to have this law repealed by the legislature or in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting national and state agencies working to achieve this,” a Disney spokesman said.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.
