The controversial Florida parental rights law, which was dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents and precipitated a national outcry from Democrats and major corporations, took effect Friday.
The Parental Rights in Education Act was signed into law by state Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in March but, like most legislation passed by the state legislature, did not take effect until July 1.
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The law was the subject of substantial national controversy after Democratic politicians and liberal pundits tagged the bill “Don’t Say Gay” due to its provision barring classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from preschool through third grade. The word “gay” does not appear in the legislative text.
The most high-profile controversy involved the Walt Disney Corporation, which vowed to push for the law’s repeal after numerous employees complained that the company was not taking a strong enough stand against the bill as it was moved through the legislature.
DeSantis and Republican lawmakers responded by eliminating Disney’s self-governance permissions in the area containing Disney World.
While the provision on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity was the singular source of controversy, much of the law clarifies parental rights as it pertains to their child’s schooling, including requiring that parents be informed of all activities related to their child’s well-being.
Among the catalysts for the law’s passage were two cases in which Florida middle schools facilitated a female student’s transition to a male identity while on school grounds without informing the student’s parents. In one case, the parents were not notified until their daughter attempted to commit suicide in the school bathroom for the second time in as many days.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, DeSantis’s press secretary, Christina Pushaw, said, “Gov. DeSantis signed this law because he is committed to defending parental rights and protecting children. The intense backlash to this commonsense legislation demonstrates exactly why it is necessary.”
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Alex Lanfranconi, the director of communications for the Florida Department of Education, likewise lauded the law as a measure that “reinforces parents’ fundamental rights to make decisions regarding the upbringing of their children and prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3.”
“The current accusations and ‘misconceptions’ regarding the implementation of the Parental Rights in Education law are fake news,” Lanfranconi told the Washington Examiner. “It’s no surprise that media activists and teachers unions are creating a false narrative to sow confusion among the public.”
