Federal leaders are speaking out against what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, officially known as the Parental Rights in Education Bill. 

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona met with students and parents in Central Florida Thursday, on the Transgender Day of Visibility.

Cardona was joined by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, and they both criticized the Parental Rights in Education bill, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law on Monday. 

Jen Cousins was one of several parents Cardona and Soto met with. She is worried about what her 12-year-old, who doesn’t identify with a specific gender, is going to face in the classroom now that the legislation has been signed into law.

“And now their parents can sue the school district, effectively, because they don’t agree with how my child identifies,” said Cousins.

“I hear you, I see you, and we’ve got your back,” said Cardona. “At the end of the day, as a father myself, all we want is for our children to go to school safe, be recognized for who they are, and not have to pretend."

Cousins said it felt good to get support at the federal level.

“He told us they’re working on some things that will hopefully come to light in the spring that will alleviate some of this, but it was just incredible to have somebody from D.C. come down here and say, 'Wow, I can’t believe this is happening to you all, we’ve got you,'" she said. "It was incredible."

Cardona also met with Central Florida teachers to check up on how money from the American Rescue Act is being spent, because he’s encouraging the use of that money to make mental health resources available to students who need it.