Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs ‘Don’t Say Gay Bill’ Into Law
Image: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signing 'Don't Say Gay Bill'. Image: Twitter
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a conservative Republican, signed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” into law on Monday, March 28.
The Bill, officially named the Parental Rights in Education Bill, will restrict the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity.
It states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade three or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
Parents would be able to sue if a school if school is suspected of violating the law.
Today, I signed HB 1557, the Parental Rights in Education Act, into law.
It ensures parents can send their kids to kindergarten without gender ideology being injected into instruction and they will be notified and have the right to decline healthcare services offered at schools. pic.twitter.com/OLnW2GLrJl
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 28, 2022
As DeSantis signed the bill while being surrounded by children, he said, unaware of the irony, “We will make sure parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination.”
In response to the signing, US President Joe Biden tweeted, “Every student deserves to feel safe and welcome in the classroom. 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.”
Every student deserves to feel safe and welcome in the classroom. 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.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 28, 2022
DeSantis Takes Swipe At Disney and Hollywood
Prior to signing the bill, DeSantis attacked both Disney and Hollywood saying,
“People in Hollywood that are opposed to providing protections for parents and enforcing parents’ rights. The one thing I’ll say about that is if the people who held up degenerates like Harvey Weinstein as exemplars and as heroes and as all that; if those are the types of people that are opposing us on parents’ rights, I wear that like a badge of honor.”
He then added, “I’m not backing down.”
The Walt Disney Corporation tweeted that the bill “should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.”
Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation: pic.twitter.com/UVI7Ko3aKS
— The Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) March 28, 2022
Disney has gotten pushback recently for funding anti-LGBT politicians.
According to the website Popular Information, Disney had donated around $200,000 over two years to legislators who had pushed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill.
The Bill would go into effect on July 1.
DeSantis is widely considered to be a potential 2024 Republican Presidential Candidate.
