TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida House on Friday passed legislation regulating sex education in schools and the use of gender pronouns in the classroom. 

What You Need To Know

  • On Friday, the Florida House passed a sweeping sex education bill
     
  • Roughly 200 demonstrators gathered outside the House Chamber to protest the bill

  • The bill will expand regulations on gender and sex instruction in state schools

  • It would also ban the use of pronouns that do not align to a student's gender at birth

  • Lawmakers also passed several other educational proposals. 

The bill (HB 1069) will require schools to teach curriculums that articulate gender as “unchanging,” according to a staff analysis. It also requires schools to publish a portfolio of school books and materials so parents and others may review.

“For those who think our schools should be some sort of social justice experiment, I challenge you this: I don’t agree with any of it,” said Palm Bay Republican Randy Fine. “But when 100% of our children are proficient in reading and 100% proficient in math, then there is time for all of this silliness.”

The proposal is an expansion of an existing law, which critics labeled the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The law banned classroom instruction on gender and sexuality up to third grade.

Under the current measure, however, the ban is expanded to eight grade. What’s more, any instruction on the issue for higher grades must be deemed “age-appropriate.”

St. Pete Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner rebuked the bill as an attack against the LGBTQ+ community. 

“We are at a historical midnight,” Rayner said. “Not because we have forgotten the power of our story, but because those in power know the power of our story and they are seeking to ban it an every turn. We are at midnight.”

The Republican-majority House passed the measure along a mostly-party line vote. The bill now awaits the consideration of the full Senate.

The House on Monday also passed several other bills. One proposal (HB 733) will require schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. Another (HB 379) will restrict social media use on school grounds and provide in-classroom instruction on social media use. 

Here are a few others: 

— HB 7039: The proposal is designed to provide tailored math instruction to students who need help. It also provides more resources to state reading programs. 

— HB 633” The bill will allow the children of active-duty military members to attend any school, regardless of zip code.

— HB 265: The proposal uniforms school policy for those seeking a GED exam. GED-seekers will no longer need take a course if they pass a practice test.

— HB 1035: The bill allows the Florida Department of Education to review all teacher requirements. It also allows teachers to seek relief if penalized by a school. 

— HB 19: Requires school district to brief the parents of students with disabilities of their legal rights and educational opportunities. 

— HJR 31: The bill would propose partisan elections for school board members in the upcoming election. Voters will decide on the proposal. 

More information on these proposals is available online.