In a show of solidarity with voters who want elementary school educators to teach students about transgenderism and other progressive sex-related ideas without parental knowledge, Florida Democrats chanted “Gay! Gay! Gay!” on Monday throughout the state’s capitol building.
The chant was in response to what critics are calling the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” being pushed by Florida Republicans. The Daily Wire reported last week, the title of that bill is officially known as the Parental Rights in Education bill, but the way the Left has branded the proposal has given some people the false impression that it bans teachers and school kids from even mentioning the word “gay” in public schools at all.
On Monday, The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh — an LGBTQ best selling author — set the record straight.
On Friday, The Daily Wire reported that critics of the proposal claim it would harm LGBTQ students by preventing discussion on LGBT sex and gender topics, making them feel unwelcome, and possibly creating an environment of harm at home.
But as pointed out by NPR, what the bill actually does is prohibit instruction on LGBTQ topics for kindergarten through third-graders, provides parents more transparency by requiring schools to notify them of any change in mental, physical, or emotional well being, and allows schools to opt-out of that if there is a “reasonable” fear that notifying a parent would result in abuse:
The legislation prohibits any instruction about sexuality or gender between kindergarten and third grade “or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
It would also guarantee parents access to their children’s education and health records and require that schools notify parents “if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.”
Schools could withhold information from parents if they believed that disclosing it could result in abuse, abandonment or neglect.
After passing Florida’s House last month, the senate is now expected to vote on the bill in the near future. But before that vote takes place, the Florida Senate Democrats Twitter account had “one thing to say to our GOP colleagues — GAY!”
The video shared featured dozens of people and several Florida Democrats chanting “gay!” The video can be seen here:
We’ve got one thing to say to our GOP colleagues — GAY! pic.twitter.com/AiXzW0chUq
— Florida Senate Democrats (@FLSenateDems) March 7, 2022
In response, Walsh had some advice for those protesting in this fashion.
“Just so you know, there is no bill in Florida forbidding students or teachers from saying the word ‘gay,'” Walsh tweeted. “That doesn’t exist. Nothing like it exists. Not at all. Not remotely. What does exist is legislation preventing teachers from sexually indoctrinating pre-schoolers.”
“So weird that the text of the ‘don’t say gay bill’ doesn’t mention the word ‘gay’ at all, anywhere,” Walsh added. “How can it prohibit the use of a word without specifying which word? Well because this is all a bunch of bullsh** invented by the Left.”
So weird that the text of the "don't say gay bill" doesn't mention the word "gay" at all, anywhere. How can it prohibit the use of a word without specifying which word? Well because this is all a bunch of bullshit invented by the Left. https://t.co/A1RYJHdqF4
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) March 7, 2022
“Here is the so-called ‘don’t say gay’ bill. All it requires is that teachers don’t discuss sexual orientation and gender identity with children in third grade and younger,” he added.
“The Left is so determined to sexually indoctrinate your kids that they’re treating this like the apocalypse,” Walsh warned.
Here is the so-called “don’t say gay” bill. All it requires is that teachers don’t discuss sexual orientation and gender identity with children in third grade and younger. The Left is so determined to sexually indoctrinate your kids that they’re treating this like the apocalypse. pic.twitter.com/GKZpfGAGXB
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) March 7, 2022
Jon Schweppe, Director of Policy at the American Principles Project, also agreed that the Left is distorting both the intent and what is actually in the bill.
Schweppe told The Daily Wire that the legislation is “about respecting the rights of parents and protecting kids.”
“Parents shouldn’t have to fear sending their kids to public school in America, but they do because woke ideologues have become obsessed with teaching kids as young as five that they can change their gender,” Schweppe added.
“This bill doesn’t do anything the Left claims — kids can talk about their families, even if they’re LGBT. Classroom discussions can still take place about LGBT history,” Schweppe clarified. “But this bill tries to provide boundaries, prevent unwanted indoctrination, and give parents more control over the upbringing of their kids.”