By Kilah A St. Fort

On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, the controversial Florida “Don’t Say Gay” bill was passed on Florida Senate’s floor. The last barrier for this legislation to become a law is dependent on whether Governor Ron DeSantis signs it. 

Officially titled the Parental Rights in Education Bill, this bill specifically prohibits the teaching of  LGBTQIA+ topics to  kids enrolled from kindergarten to third grade. Another aspect of the bill is that LGBTQ lessons, according to the state’s standards, are considered not age or developmentally appropriate for students. Thus, parents would have greater chances of taking successful legal action against educators who violate the bill. 

Supporters of the bill believe that young students are being harmed by the discussion of LGBTQ+ topics. They are being misinformed about  their gender identity and sexuality , claim several Florida parents. At the same time, bill opposers are concerned about the safety of students who are LGBTQ+. 

Alison Mercure, a senior at Lehman College said, “It's a disappointment that the bill has been passed. Part of having a classroom is having safe discussions on what's going on and educating one another.” 

Other Lehman students question the effectiveness of such a bill, especially in the context of a virtually interconnected world. 

Freshman Gurleen Atwal said, “To me it seems like a bill that is trying to prevent something from being part of the school curriculum. It seems like [the bill] wants to stop [LGBTQ+ topics] from being spoken about, but is that really possible? As high schoolers or as middles schoolers, can you say that you weren’t becoming aware of people who are queer or understanding your own identity?”  

Familiar sentiments were echoed by Mercure, “Nowadays, we have advocates and organizations that educate people about LGBTQIA+ history so it wouldn't necessarily stop kids from learning about it.” 

Both students began to recall moments where they were first exposed to LGBTQ+ topics. Mercure couldn’t remember how she became aware of it, but she cites the military policy “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the start. Atwal attributes her first encounter to a reality tv show.  

“I remember seeing Jazz from I am Jazz on TV when [the main character, Jazz] was first speaking about transitioning and her identity as a child,” said Atwal, “but I feel as though I learned more from conversations with peers and social media.” 

Although this bill would only immediately affect Florida’s school systems, there is a possibility of a ripple effect. Other states may begin increasing parents’ control over their children’s education by limiting what can and can’t be taught. 

“If this bill were to be passed in NYS, everyone would be pissed off. This reminds me of the current Mayor Adams and his administration, where some of his appointees are anti-LGBTQIA+ so for a bill [like this] to be passed, [there] would be a serious outrage,” commented Mercure.   

When asked what could be done instead, Atwal offered the suggestion of a specially crafted LGBTQ+ curriculum that involves parent-teacher communication.