A federal judge won’t block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-Fla) “Parental Rights in Education” bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger refused to block Florida school districts from carrying out a new state law that restricts instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms, rejecting arguments by parents, students, and a non-profit organization.
This is the second time in less than a month that a federal judge has blocked cases that attempt to challenge the controversial law.
The law bans children from being taught explicit topics such as gender identity and sexual orientation for kindergarteners through third grade. The material taught must be age-appropriate and “in accordance with state standards.”
The law also states that parents have the right to know what is being taught to their kids, allowing them to intervene if they feel the classroom instruction is too mature for their child.
Layers for the parents argue that the law “was enacted with the purpose to discriminate and has the effect of discriminating against LGBTQ+ students and those with LGBTQ+ family members.”
However, Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office said that the plaintiffs did not have legal standing, prompting Berger to deny the request to block the law.
“Plaintiffs have not pointed this court to any policy or procedure from Orange County that they allege has resulted in an increase in bullying that S.C. might experience at school,” Berger wrote in response to her decision, “while the court is sympathetic to the Cousins’ fear that their child may be bullied, it is simply a fact of life that many middle school students will face the criticism and harsh judgment of their peers. S.C. is not alone in this regard. Indeed, middle school children bully and belittle their classmates for a whole host of reasons, all of which are unacceptable, and many of which have nothing to do with a classmate’s gender identity.”