Florida

In Jacksonville and across Florida students protest ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

Students here in Jacksonville and all across Florida have held protests decrying the legislation that would limit classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation Thursday.

The “Don’t Say Gay” bill as it has been dubbed by opponents, is one vote away from hitting the Governor’s desk.

The protests across the state are in a way a last-ditch effort to block the bill.

From Terry Parker High in Jacksonville to the State Capitol and all across Florida, students walked out or held demonstrations sending a message to lawmakers: Vote no on HB 1557.

State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) said she believes the message to state Senators came through loud and clear.

“I think it’s gonna have an impact, you know, right now the Florida Senate has not agenda the don’t say gay bill and I think that speaks to pressure from the business community and pressure from multiple generations of Floridians who don’t think this is a good policy,” said Eskamani.

The bill is designed to prohibit any form of classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3 and limits instruction to ‘age appropriate’ levels thereafter.

But Joe Saunders with Equality Florida argued it will marginalize an already vulnerable group of students.

“This is a bill that affects the entire K-12 system and for schools that violate this bill if it becomes law, they’ll be subjected to erroneous lawsuits. Parents will have the right to sue school districts for talking about the fact that LGBTQ families exist,” said Saunders.

Republicans have argued the bill aims to ensure parents are the ones who direct the moral and religious upbringing of their children, and not through the education system.

“This simply means we’re allowing parents to parent their children. It means we’re not hiding things from parents,” said Representative Kaylee Tuck (R-Sebring) while debating the contents of the bill on the House floor last week.

The bill at this time only needs to clear the Senate floor now before fully passing.

Saunders believes it may stay off the agenda as a result of today’s demonstrations.

“They will change this bill or stop it because this is not what the people of Florida need or want right now,” said Suanders.

It would only take the vote of five Republican Senators flipping to kill the bill.

One voted against it in its last committee hearing, leaving only four needed to be convinced to change the outcome of this bill.