Florida Republicans approved two bills on Wednesday that would ban diversity programs in colleges and prevent students and teachers from using pronouns that do not correspond to biological sex. These moves build on the top priorities of Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign the bills into law. DeSantis, who is likely to run for president in 2024, has driven a hardline conservative agenda in an effort to bolster support of Republican primary voters ahead of his White House bid.
The state’s legislative session, which is scheduled to end this week, has been dominated by divisive cultural issues, with Republican allies of DeSantis approving his priority bills on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and education. The bills are expected to aid the governor in his presidential bid. Democrats, who have no power to stop the Republican legislation, have increasingly begun to vent over the rightward shift in policy emanating from the GOP.
The Senate voted to expand the law, called “Don’t Say Gay,” which prevents school staffers or students from being required to refer to people by pronouns that do not correspond to their biological sex. The bill also bans classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation up to the 8th grade, legally reinforcing a DeSantis administration move to prohibit such lessons in all grades. The House also gave final passage to a DeSantis priority bill that bans colleges from using state or federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Critics argue that these bills are intended to shield children from sexualized content and reinforce that teachers should conform to existing state curriculums. However, many believe that these moves fuel discrimination against the LGBT community. Democratic Senator Tracie Davis expressed her concern about how this will affect families that don’t look like the majority. She said, “They’re still families. They’re Florida families. But we’re treating them like they’re outsiders and we’re telling them we don’t want them here.”
The Republican lawmakers in at least a dozen states have proposed more than 30 bills this year targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education. These initiatives have come under increasing criticism from Republicans who argue the programs are racially divisive. The bills have been passed despite protests from LGBT and other minority rights groups. Critics claim that the new laws could lead to further discrimination against vulnerable communities.
In conclusion, the passing of these bills by the Republican-led Senate and House has brought to the forefront the issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, as well as discrimination against the LGBT community. The impact of these bills on Florida’s educational system remains to be seen.