The bill has pushed Florida and De Sandis, a potential Republican candidate for the 2024 presidency, to the forefront of the country’s cultural wars. Critics have called the law “Do not say homosexuals” and say its real intention is to marginalize LGBTQ people and their families. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Tallahassee on behalf of Equality Florida and Family Equality alleges that the law violates the constitutionally protected rights of freedom of speech, equal protection, and the fairness of students and families. “This attempt to control the minds of young people through state censorship – and to degrade LGBTQ lives by denying their reality – is a serious abuse of power,” the lawsuit said. “The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that LGBTQ individuals and their families are at home in our constitutional order. “The state of Florida has no right to declare them outcasts or treat their allies as illegal, punishing schools where anyone dares to assert their identity and dignity,” the lawsuit states. The law deliberately uses general terms and calls for arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, enabling parents to be wandering censors who can sue school boards for compensation based on any violation, the lawsuit adds. The law states: “Teaching in the classroom by school staff or third parties about sexual orientation or gender identity is not permitted in kindergarten until the third grade or in a way that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students according to with state standards “. Parents will be able to sue the districts for violations. US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona met with LGBTQ students and their families at a school in Orlando on Thursday to discuss privately how legislation affects their lives. Cardona’s visit was one of many Biden government events on Thursday that showed support for the queer community, including a presidential proclamation recognizing Trans Vision Day. “We know that while many trans students experience valuable support at school, many others face significant challenges because of the hostility that others face,” Cardona said. “This includes a growing number of government laws that intimidate and intimidate LGBTQI + students and their families.” DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly described the rules as logical, saying that children should learn about sexual orientation and gender identity from their parents and not from schools. “We will ensure that parents can send their children to school for education and not catechism,” the governor said when he signed the law this week. Many critics have argued that the language of the law, especially the terms “classroom teaching” and “age-appropriate”, could be interpreted so broadly that discussion in any classroom could provoke lawsuits, creating a classroom atmosphere where teachers would avoid classes altogether. There was strong public reaction to the introduction of the bill in the Republican-controlled Florida legislature this year, with the White House, Hollywood celebrities, students, Democrats and LGBTQ supporters condemning the policy. Legal challenges are expected. The testimony by Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP and the National Center for Lesbian Rights seeks to block law enforcement and also names Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and other education officials as defendants. “Our kids already told us they were afraid they would not be able to talk about their family at school,” Dan and Brad VanTees, parents of two first-graders, said in a statement announcing the suit. “We are devastated that our children already feel isolated and stigmatized by this law.” Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said the law is politically motivated because elementary schools, especially kindergarten until the third grade, do not teach these subjects and have state curriculum standards that guide classroom instruction. The bill pours oil into a persistent feud between DeSantis and Democratic President Joe Biden, who wrote on Twitter after DeSantis signed the bill this week that “My government will continue to fight for dignity and opportunities for every student and family.” – in Florida and across the country. Cardona said his office would monitor any violations of federal civil rights.
