The bill, referred to by its opponents as the “do not say homosexual” bill, has sparked national controversy and caught the attention of Sunday’s Oscar-winning TV show amid an increasingly partisan debate over what to do. schools teach children about race and gender. Officially called the Parental Rights in Education Act, the Florida Act bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity for children from kindergarten to primary school or from about 5-9 years of age in public. schools. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register It also prohibits such teaching that is “not age-appropriate or developmental” for students in other classes. Under the law, which takes effect July 1, parents will be allowed to sue school districts they believe are violating. “We will continue to recognize that in the state of Florida, parents have a fundamental role to play in their children’s education, health care and well-being,” DeSantis told reporters Monday. “I do not care what the big companies say, here I am. I do not back down.” DeSantis, who is seeking re-election this year and is widely considered to be running for president in 2024, has teamed up with other Republicans nationwide to ask parents to have more control over what young children learn in school. The Republican governor signed the bill into a charter school in Spring Hill, north of Tampa, surrounded by young schoolchildren and parents who shared personal stories that they said showed the new law was necessary. Students across Florida have protested the measure, and President Joe Biden has previously called it “hateful.” The hosts of the Oscars ceremony referred to the bill, while the winner of best actress Jessica Chastain in her acceptance speech denounced “biased and bigoted” legislation that is sweeping the country. After DeSantis signed the bill Monday, a Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) spokesman said the bill “should never have been passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is to pass this bill.” repealed by the legislature or beaten in the courts “. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is the company’s largest theme park. Its extensive activities also include film studios, broadcast and cable networks, streaming services, cruise lines and retail products. Civil rights group Lambda Legal said it would challenge the law in court. “Our young people are not political pawns,” CEO Kevin Jennings said in a statement. The legislation has been criticized for the ambiguity and complexity of some of its languages. For example, he says that even the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation is forbidden “to some degree or in a certain way”. The Florida Educational Association, a teachers’ association, called the law a “political ploy” vulnerable to legal challenges. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Maria Caspani. Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Cynthia Osterman and Mark Porter Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
