Florida bans LGBT+ education in primary schools

Florida's new law will prevent children under the age of 10 from being taught about being gay or gender identity

The governor of the US state of Florida has signed a bill which will prevent children under the age of 10 from being taught about being gay, gay relationships or about gender identity in their classrooms.

The 'Parental Rights in Education' bill, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, will only affect students and schools in Florida not the whole US, as states have a lot of control over their own education rules.

It also bans teachers from doing LGBT+ topics that are "not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate" for students in other years.

Under the new rules, parents will be allowed to take legal action and sue school districts in Florida if they are thought to be breaking them.

Controversy

Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill into law

The law, which those opposing it have frequently referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, has proven to be very controversial.

Those in support of it say it is intended to give power to parents and allow them to have more choice about when, how and if their children learn about LGBT+ subjects, rather than that decision being taken by a school.

"We will continue to recognise that in the state of Florida, parents have a fundamental role in the education, health care and well being of their children," Gov. DeSantis said at a press conference before signing the bill.

Criticism

Critics say that say that the law is unfair against children who are either part of the LGBT+ community themselves or come from families who are - and it could leave them isolated.

They also say that the wording of the law is so vague that all teachers could be afraid of talking about LGBT+ issues at all - as they could be afraid of getting in legal trouble.

US president Joe Biden has called the law "hateful".

"Every student deserves to feel safe and welcome in the classroom," he shared on social media.

"Our LGBTQI+ youth deserve to be affirmed and accepted just as they are. My Administration will continue to fight for dignity and opportunity for every student and family — in Florida and around the country."

Some Disney employees protested against the bill

Other critics of the bill include The Walt Disney Company which has a big park in Florida - although many of its staff have complained that the company hasn't done enough to oppose it.

"[The] bill... should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the company said in a statement.

"We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country."

Mr DeSantis replied saying that he doesn't care what big corporations think.

Which US states have similar rules?

There have also been other protests against the bill, with high school students getting involved

At the moment, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas are the only four other US states which have banned or limited education around LGBT+ issues in classrooms.

Last year, Tennessee and Montana passed laws that allow parents to opt their children out of discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Other legislation which was previously introduced in states including Alabama, North Carolina and Arizona have since been over-turned.