Don't Say Gay Law

Today, Governor DeSantis signed HB 1557: Parental Rights in Education into law.  Amazingly, it is not a very long bill, only 7 pages.  Mostly, it says parents have a right to know what schools are teaching their kids, schools cannot conceal what they are teaching kids, and - most controversial of all - no sex education for kids from kindergarten to third grade.  That this bill has caused such a furor is a sad statement of our culture.  When I was in school, sex education class didn't occur until my sophomore year in high school.  Back in those days, they combined it with driver's ed.  Now, people are upset that schools are limited from teaching sex ed to kids 8 and under?  I say "limited" because the law specifies age-appropriate; who decides what is age appropriate?

Let's take a look at some of the specifics.  The law amends existing law regarding student welfare, which apparently is addressed in Subsection 8 of section 1001.42.  Let's look at the additions.

1. Parents must be informed regarding any welfare issue and all records must be made available to the parent.

2. School districts may not adopt policies that prohibit school personnel from notifying parents, unless such notice will result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect.  Yeah, who decides what will result?

3. Classroom instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kinder through third grade or in a manner that isn't age appropriate.  Again, who decides what is appropriate?

4. Schools must adhere to guidelines established by Department of Education.  I suppose this is who determines my questions on points 2 & 3.

5. Parents must be notified at beginning of school year what health services are offered and be given the option of opting out.

6. Before administering a well-being questionnaire to a student, the parent's permission must be obtained.

7. If parents voice a concern, the school has 7 days to determine a process to resolve it.  Or maybe a month.  Or, if still a problem, a special magistrate in good standing with 5 years' experience can be brought in to...  blah blah blah... legalese stuff.

Why are some people so desperate to talk to kids 8 and under about sexuality and gender identity?  Kids at these ages are extremely impressionable.  When I was that age, my father drank Coke.  Based on nothing but that, I formed the idea that when I became a dad, I'd have to drink Coke.  Stupid, but there it is.  My drink of choice was Mountain Dew, but I knew it would change when I was a dad.  It wasn't until I was 18 or 19 that I realized that was stupid.  Imagine if I had been actively taught that there were 81 genders.

Teach the kids to read, write, and count.  Sex ed has no place in elementary schools.  I would have included 4th and 5th grade too.