About a dozen Florida schools are violating policies that violate Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new rules on LGBTQ issues in the classroom, officials said Wednesday.
Board of Education Senior Chancellor Jacob Oliva sent letters to 10 districts in November warning them that their guidelines do not comply with the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
Among other provisions, the Don’t Say Gay Act requires schools to notify parents if their child changes gender or changes the bathrooms or locker rooms they use.
The rule was contrary to policies in districts that require students’ consent for parents to disclose gender identity changes.
Speaking at Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting, Oliva said several districts have already repealed current guidelines to match the bill passed in March.
In a letter to Leon County officials, Oliva wrote that parents “have a right to know if there has been a change in the services or monitoring of the student related to the mental, emotional or physical health or well-being of the student and the school’s ability to provide a safe environment.” and a supportive learning environment for the student”.
Oliva said the rules apply to “student privacy, name and pronouns, restroom and locker room use.”
All 10 districts that received the letter — Alachua, Broward, Brevard, Duval, Hillsboro, Indian River, Leon, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine — promised to address Oliva’s concerns.
Two of them—Alachua and Brevard—have recently mandated that children use bathrooms based on their biological gender to comply with the law.
Oliva also reminded districts that the law allows parents to sue them for violating the law.
The Parents’ Bill of Rights sparked a firestorm earlier this year, specifically banning topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
DeSantis has strongly supported the law, saying parents have a right to a clear view of school policies — and that sexual topics are inappropriate for young children.
But critics counter that the law has fueled hostility toward the LGBTQ community and targeted students of diverse sexual orientations and identities.
On Wednesday, Oliva said his department will monitor the 10 districts to ensure they follow the BOE guidelines.
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