Florida school district bans book about real-life gay penguin relationship, citing Parental Rights law
DeSantis signs Parental Rights in Education Act
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the "Parental Rights in Education Act" into law during a visit to Classical Preparatory School in Spring Hill in March 2022. The bill bars instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity for public school students from Kindergarten to third grade.
TAVARES, Fla. - A Florida school district banned a book about a real-life same-sex penguin couple from classrooms and school libraries.
The award-winning 2005 children's book, "And Tango Makes Three," tells the story of a real-life same-sex penguin couple that creates a family together.
Lake County Schools located in Florida told Fox News Digital on Monday that the book violates Florida law on teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity to children from Kindergarten to third grade.
"We removed access to ‘And Tango Makes Three’ for our Kindergarten through third-grade students in alignment with Florida HB 1557, which prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity for those grade levels," Sherri Owens, the Lake County Florida communications director told Fox News Digital.
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The banning of the book stems from Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' education legislation he signed into law last year. Florida House Bill 1557 "Parental Rights in Education," which was dubbed by critics as the "don't say gay" bill. The law bans teachers from giving classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" in grades Kindergarten through third grade.
"And Tango Makes Three" is one of several books that have been removed from schools after DeSantis and state Republicans passed legislation on restricting instruction on critical race theory and gender theory.
Public records obtained by another outlet through the Florida Freedom to Read Project revealed that two other books were banned, citing the Parental Rights in Education Act.
In Lake County, for example, the school district has removed three books with LGBTQ themes from libraries. The school district claimed the removal of these books was required "due to content regarding sexual orientation/gender identification prohibited in HB 1557."
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Lake County Schools presides over 59 schools, including 20 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 9 high schools and serves 41,100 students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.
During the midterm elections, DeSantis’ championed a pro-parent agenda, which also included the endorsements of 30 school board candidates that aligned with that philosophy.
Among the 30 school board candidates that he endorsed, 24 won their races.
The victories coincide with the phenomenon of parents across the country paying closer attention to school boards by challenging progressive curricula and contesting books they deemed inappropriate.