On Wednesday, the Florida Board of Education unanimously passed a rule requiring public and charter schools to notify parents if transgender students use bathrooms that do not align with their biological sex.
The decision is one of many that Florida’s government is making to show that it intends to resist liberal social policies regarding public education.
Florida schools ordered to provide bathrooms separated by biological sex https://t.co/3s2kXbFAdL pic.twitter.com/SZFg3kWtU8
— New York Post (@nypost) October 19, 2022
Florida’s Education Commissioner said that the new rule will increase transparency in public schools.
“What this rule does is make sure that if a school implements a policy or procedure for specific designations for locker rooms or bathrooms or dressing rooms that parents have a right to know,” said Florida Interim Education Commissioner Jacob Oliva.
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Liberal activists and politicians have already started a public relations campaign to paint the new rule as discriminatory towards transgender students, with one pro-LGBT news outlet calling the new rule ‘draconian’.
The Florida Board of Education passed a strict mandate preventing transgender youth from freely using bathrooms that match their gender. https://t.co/OKdeONhlGl
— Them (@them) October 20, 2022
“And that we are transparent about the procedures that are happening in our schools.”
Before the board passed the new rule, it allowed people to speak both in favor of and against it. One activist representing Equality Florida said the new rule exists to ‘intimidate school districts.’
“This proposed rule has been designated to intimidate school districts from following federal guidance, making schools less safe and adding fuel to a politically motivated crusade against LGBTQ+ youth and their families,” said Nikole Parker of Equality Florida.
Today, the FL Board of Education voted unanimously on new rules designed to intimidate school districts and teachers that affirm LGBTQ students — including expanding the enforcement of the Don’t Say LGBTQ law. pic.twitter.com/zrAUDqWd1c
— Equality Florida (@equalityfl) October 19, 2022
“We need to stop the stigma and these ridiculous bathroom predator myths,” she said. “Inclusivity, love and acceptance is what our transgender and LGBTQ+ students need. Not separation and hate.”
Other parents who spoke in favor of the new rule said that schools should not be able to hide their policies from parents.
“Hiding a policy from parents only indicates the bad intentions of its nature,” one backer told the board.
Another parent said that the rule would protect the rights of biological girls who feel uncomfortable with male-to-female transgender people in their facilities.
“During a period of their lives when they are most uncomfortable with their bodies, we are setting aside their rights,” she said. “Forcing biological girls to undress in front of biological males is wrong.”
Conservatives on social media supported the decision, with one person saying that it is ‘sad’ that such a rule even has to be created.
It's sad that we are at a point in society where we need laws like these. Where did we go wrong?
— Tammy Lohan (@TammyLohan8) October 20, 2022
Another user kept it short and sweet by saying that Florida is ‘leading the way’ with sane policies.
Florida leading the way with sanity!
— Mark 🇺🇸 (@surfermark1980) October 19, 2022
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