Florida students walk out of class in protest of 'Don't Say Gay' bill

Students in schools across Florida Thursday staged walkouts to protest the state's "Don't Say Gay" bill - set to go before the full state Senate on Monday - that would prohibit primary school educators from engaging in discussions related to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Officially known as the Parental Rights in Education bill, the legislation would restrict mention of LGBTQ+ topics in classrooms that are not "age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students." Parents would also be given greater authority to take legal action against school districts believed to be in violation.

"Today, those who will be most impacted by this dangerous piece of legislation -- Florida students -- mobilized by the thousands to walk out of class and demand a stop to the Don't Say Gay bill," the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Florida said Thursday in a statement. "Their courage and resilience is to be applauded as they stand tall in the face of unprecedented bigotry in the legislature that would muzzle their teachers and erase them from classroom discussion."

Proponents of the bill maintain that the legislation was merely designed to strengthen the rights of parents and give them a larger voice in the child's education.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/florida-students-walk-out-of-class-in-protest-of-don-t-say-gay-bill/ar-AAUCiD6