Florida House bill amendment would allow schools to 'out' students to their parents
Schools would have to 'out' students to their parents under bill amendment
A controversial House bill that would restrict school instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation advanced with changes, as critics slammed the measure as being overly broad and discriminatory. Now lawmakers want educators to have to out their students to parents.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida’s so-called "Don’t Say Gay" bill includes a new proposed amendment that would force schools to out students about their sexual orientation to their parents, causing more concern from those in the LGBTQ community.
Under the Parental Rights in Education bill (HB-1557 or SB-1834), teachers won’t be allowed talk about sexual orientation or gender identity.
"There are so many ways in which LGBTQ people are present in a child's world to try and pretend that they don't exist is devastating," said Todd Delmay of Hollywood, Florida, who spoke up against the bill to legislators in Tallahassee as a same-sex parent. "Well, when we first heard about it, my first reaction was for my son. We think about all the conversations that have taken place for his benefit, having same-sex parents and just thinking about all the ways in which this legislation could impact him."
The House bill’s sponsor State Representative Joe Harding said the bill prevents discussions among kindergartners through 3rd graders or when it’s not age-appropriate at any grade level. A similar Senate bill is sponsored by State Senator Dennis Baxley.
"Let’s stay focused on our mission to equip them with skill sets, that’s all. Let’s realize that these children belong to families. They are not wards of the state," said Baxley, R-Ocala. "I don’t think that it is the schoolteacher’s responsibility to embrace every single question in that way."
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If a student did confide in a teacher, a new amendment added Friday would force school officials to tell their parents within six weeks after learning a student isn’t straight and instructs schools to develop a plan using all governmental resources to inform parents about their child’s sexual orientation.
"People are outraged. People are really, really upset about this," said Michael Womack, the communications manager for Equality Florida. "We’re really concerned about this because sometimes the home is not the safest place for a kid, and they often confide in teachers. Forced outing is going to be detrimental to a lot of kids’ mental health and their physical safety."
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The Trevor Project said LGBTQ children are four times more likely to seriously consider suicide, make a plan for suicide, and attempt suicide than their peers. Some parents like Raegan Miller feel students should have the option to talk with a teacher they trust.
"As a parent, I always want my kids to feel safe and comfortable coming to me," said Miller, a parent of two children in St. Pete. "And if they didn't feel that they could come to me, I would want them to be able to go to their teachers or somebody, you know, whether it's the pastor at church or somebody. I just always want them to have that space where they feel loved and secure."
Rep. Harding said teachers should be focused on teaching, but some said the bill silences.
"What I think it's taking away from is the really special relationship that teachers have with their students, and not all students feel 100% comfortable going to their teachers. But there are a few," said Jeff Delmay, Todd’s husband. "And if you go to that teacher and all of a sudden, that teacher has to be very coldly stop the conversation and notify the parents that could damage the that, that child's damage, the psyche of that child."
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Opponents said they also have problems with the broad or vague wording in the bill, so they are concerned with how it could be implemented.
The house is expected to debate the bill Tuesday, and it is expected to go for a floor vote later this week. FOX 13 reached out to Harding and Baxley’s offices for comment but was told they did not have time.