Transgender Teachers Leaving FL

the law is intentionally vague with respect to what "instruction" is. If a student asks why he has a picture of his husband and the teacher says that two men can be married to each other just like a man and a woman that could be itnerpreted as giving instruction on sexual orientation. It is the same sort of vague language that has doctors refusing to provide abortions and administrators stripping bookshelves. The vague terms allow for discretionary prosecution of people who do not conform to the christian right views.

FL Dont Say Gay KYR - Updated2022.06.pdf (nea.org)

instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3

In other words, “instruction . . . on sexual orientation or gender identity” — terms not defined in the law – is completely prohibited for students up to the third grade. Beyond the third grade, such instruction is permitted only to the extent that it is “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” The vagueness of the law raises numerous questions. Does it mean, for example, that an educator can use books with LGBTQ+ characters so long as the discussion of those books does not focus on their sexual orientation or gender identity? Does it mean that all discussion of families and the many different ways families are formed must be avoided altogether in grades K-3? The Florida Department of Education has so far failed to give any guidance on these or countless other questions about how the law will be applied. It is important to know, however, that Florida law must give way to the nondiscrimination protections of federal civil rights law that are detailed below.

Accordingly, efforts by school administrators to enforce the “Don’t Say Gay” law in a way that prohibits only LGBTQ+ educators from discussing their family status or prohibits only children of same-sex marriages from discussing their families, violate those non-discrimination mandates and should be countered using the complaint procedures detailed below. The “Don’t Say Gay” law itself requires schools to create a complaint procedure through which parents may raise “concerns” about compliance with the law. If those concerns are not resolved internally with the school, a parent may either (i) trigger an investigation by the Florida Department of Education, at the school’s expense or (ii) sue in court to obtain an injunction, damages, and/or attorney fees. As a result of the complaint process, and school districts seeking to avoid liability in court, individual educators could face serious consequences for violating the state law’s restrictions.

School districts are “primarily responsible” for ensuring compliance with the law. See Fla. Stat. § 1008.32. A school could decide that discipline or termination is appropriate for violations of the law. The danger of enforcement against individual educators is amplified by the fact that they enjoy relatively few job protections. For educators hired after 2011, tenure protections are nonexistent, and they can be dismissed at the end of their annual contracts without cause. Id. § 1012.335. And, while tenure protections are available for those hired before 2011, schools may still attempt to portray violations of the law as “gross insubordination” or “willful neglect of duty” that would provide cause for discipline or dismissal. Id. § 1012.33. It is also possible that a violation of the “Don’t Say Gay” law could expose educators to meritless proceedings to suspend or revoke their teaching certificates. State law provides that such action can be taken against any educator who “has violated the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession.” Id. § 1012.795(1)(j). Indeed, it is theoretically possible that educators could be subjected to such actions for simply failing to report a colleague they suspect of violating the “Don’t Say Gay” restriction (see id. R. 6A-10.081(2)(c)(14) requiring educators to “report to appropriate authorities any known allegation of a violation of the Florida School Code or State Board of Education Rules”), although given the uncertainties as to the law’s scope such actions appear to be unlikely.

 

It depends on what your definition of "is" ... is.... and teaching.

 

So... the one student is complete failure and is now able to teach others? I find that to be sad...

But I still respect you man...

 

These people are trying to indoctrinate our children... to accept theses disorders as normal and even more. These people are trying to teach our young children something abnormal... to strive for... like it's something positive to achieve in their lives. All of this against their human nature. And then if you don't accept their indoctrination these same people call you all sorts of bigoted names.

All Part of the dystopian plan...

 

I do. Then again, I actually talk to educators in this state.

Spoken like somebody who doesn't talk to teachers.

 

Wait, hold on here …… there is no such thing as excess cleavages!!!! Cleavages are like motorcycles ….. you can never see or have too much or too many!!

Carry on .

 

If my comment is off topic then so is your silly cleavage example because it’s the flip side of the same coin using the opposite gender.

Thanks for proving my point.

And don’t get me wrong. I didn’t want an over sexualized version of someone….anyone….teaching my children back in the day, especially while in elementary. But with very rare instance I think that’s the exception and not the rule as to what’s happening in education today.

Good luck finding a private school for your kids. Been there done that. No place is perfect, merely letting them out the door every day will expose them to a broader world view than yours (or anyone’s) by definition, so if you want your kids only exposed to the narrow set of values that mimic your own, which is what it seems based on your posting history, there’s only one answer. Do it yourself.

And “traditional white people” means something indigenous to southerners? As a white, southern Jew I have no idea what tf you’re talking about if not for the obvious. Just own it for once.

 

Good lord, the fixation on the LGBT (and specifically trans community) by conservatives and self-described Christians, is just an awful reflection of themselves.

Why is it so hard to just let people be?!? To love thy neighbor?!?

Normally I’d feel empathy for these low effort thinkers, but they are hell bent on running this country based on their Christofascist ideology.

 

Narrow minded person calls post asking for open mindedness narrow minded. Fascinating.

 

Also if he sends his kid to “traditional white people schools” they’re going to come out dumb as a rock and totally twisted. It’s a near lifetime sentence.

 

People couldn’t let the LGBTQ community be if they wanted to. I’ve never seen more news stories and outrage (hourly) in my life. The % of people that are trans in our society doesn’t line up with the amount of news attributed to them.

 

This could be the single dumbest comment I’ve ever read on here. Trolling as usual with hyperbolic statements to seek attention.

 

Are you really and truly comparing these so called victims to the “folks at Auschwitz” (to borrow your flippant term)? Even you should be ashamed of yourself for that. Looks like someone wasn’t paying attention in history class.

 

Points to traditional white people in the GOP and drops mic….

 

I guess I should have said “truly” fearful. Not the imaginary and dramatic fearful being referred to here.

And yes, I do talk to teachers. My wife and daughter are both public school teachers. Neither of them has even the slightest bit of fear.

 

No rick . . . the failure is not eligible for licensure. They will not earn the degree either. And thanks for the respect.

 

By and large, teachers care very much about the students. Your opinion here is grounded in ignorance.