What do you think about with current News and Opinions?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2022

4 hours ago, Beerman said:

"Contrary to media hype, HB 1557 does not ban the word “gay” from the classroom. Rather, it protects kindergarteners to third-graders from teachers and other school officials who seek to sexualize children at very young ages. The bill would prevent school personnel from pushing planned instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity issues in kindergarten through third grade or in contexts that are not age-appropriate in later grades."

It continues:

"The bill does not prohibit organic conversations between students and teachers, nor does it prohibit age-appropriate discussion of social issues including sexual orientation if it is in accordance with state standards."

https://heritageaction.com/blog/myth-vs-fact-floridas-parents-bill-of-rights-hb-1557

Is this really a problem? Do children really need to be protected from school teachers sexualizing young children? Is "sexualizing" children at that age part of the a teacher's agenda?

Again, I have to ask is the problem based on reality or just fear and prejudice.

But yes, "Don't Say Gay Bill" is what people have dubbed it, like the "Anti-Woke Bill".

But you're correct he's doing this for the parents that want it. I've read some polls that it's a slim majority. About 51% favor the provisions in the bill. I've also read a poll that 60% oppose it, so I guess it depends on the ones asking the questions.

My final thought is that I think Florida is on the wrong side of history on this one. Gen Z and millennials have shifted the discussion of gender norms and are more advanced in their thinking. I understand they are also are the parents driving this bill but I think they are a loud minority with the ears of the church and Gen X and Boomer republican politicians, but that's just a feeling because it's well documented that younger people identify more as gender neutral and other sexual identities.

Again, I acknowledge this young age the approach to discussion should it come up should be tailored and that sexual topics shouldn't be part of the agenda.

But like when Florida took it to the vote for gay marriage I though we were on the wrong side of history and was on the loosing side, I accept this is now what it is.

heron, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2022

Fascinating, isn’t it, that so many assume that all children in fourth grade or less are straight, cis-gendered and living in heterosexual families? (We won’t get into the conflation of gender and sexuality.) Do straight kids at that age really need to be sheltered from the concept that not every one in the world is exactly like them? Don’t the kids who are not straight and cis-gendered deserve equal acknowledgement of their existence?

If the only acknowledged identity is cis-gendered heterosexuality, how is that NOT indoctrination.

Guests · Mar 22, 2022

1 hour ago, heron said:

Fascinating, isn’t it, that so many assume that all children in fourth grade or less are straight, cis-gendered and living in heterosexual families? (We won’t get into the conflation of gender and sexuality.) Do straight kids at that age really need to be sheltered from the concept that not every one in the world is exactly like them? Don’t the kids who are not straight and cis-gendered deserve equal acknowledgement of their existence?

If the only acknowledged identity is cis-gendered heterosexuality, how is that NOT indoctrination.

I agree. That's the point of the legislation, to marginalize the lives and life experience of children who love and are loved by parents who don't fit into neat heterosexual boxes. Children are in school to learn the things they need to succeed in this big and diverse world.

chare · Mar 22, 2022

Florida's Parental Rights in Education Bill (HB 1557)

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2022

Will Florida teachers be able to use terms that identify a gender or sex, like boy/girl, male/female?

If a child has two parents of the same gender, is a teacher able to note that? What if child asks a teacher if they are married? Or what is their partner's name?

If there are classroom pets, must they have gender neutral names?

How about if a child mentions a family member who is LGBQT? Must the teacher just pretend that didn't happen?

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 22, 2022

3 hours ago, Tweety said:

Is this really a problem? Do children really need to be protected from school teachers sexualizing young children? Is "sexualizing" children at that age part of the a teacher's agenda?

Again, I have to ask is the problem based on reality or just fear and prejudice.

But yes, "Don't Say Gay Bill" is what people have dubbed it, like the "Anti-Woke Bill".

But you're correct he's doing this for the parents that want it. I've read some polls that it's a slim majority. About 51% favor the provisions in the bill. I've also read a poll that 60% oppose it, so I guess it depends on the ones asking the questions.

My final thought is that I think Florida is on the wrong side of history on this one. Gen Z and millennials have shifted the discussion of gender norms and are more advanced in their thinking. I understand they are also are the parents driving this bill but I think they are a loud minority with the ears of the church and Gen X and Boomer republican politicians, but that's just a feeling because it's well documented that younger people identify more as gender neutral and other sexual identities.

Again, I acknowledge this young age the approach to discussion should it come up should be tailored and that sexual topics shouldn't be part of the agenda.

But like when Florida took it to the vote for gay marriage I though we were on the wrong side of history and was on the loosing side, I accept this is now what it is.

Please explain. You thought that putting gay marriage to a vote should not have happened and putting it up to the voters was being on the wrong side of history? It is a constitutional right so I'm confused why Florida would bother putting it to the voters - or was this before the Supreme Court intervened? As for sex education for young elementary school students - they don't require any detailed information on the nuances of gender except for a simple reply that not everybody is the same or something like that. The Florida legislature must not have enough to do if they have to legislate a simple explanation to a young child. I taught 3rd and 4th graders decades ago and one of the first things I learned as a 22 year old teacher is that what kids are really asking and what you THINK they are asking can be wildly different.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2022

There are parents up in arms in our state after the legislature passed a bill mandating Comprehensive Sexual Health Education in schools, starting in kindergarten. In reality, K-3 are being taught social-emotional boundaries and autonomy. That way they feel empowered to tell mommy's boyfriend or creepy Uncle Harry to keep their hands off.

chare · Mar 22, 2022

14 minutes ago, subee said:

Please explain. You thought that putting gay marriage to a vote should not have happened and putting it up to the voters was being on the wrong side of history? It is a constitutional right so I'm confused why Florida would bother putting it to the voters - or was this before the Supreme Court intervened? ...

Yes, this was in 2008, prior to SCOTUS intervention. Amendment 2, a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages and civil unions was approved by 62% of those voting. Amazingly it seems that, at least as late as 2021, it hadn't been removed from the FL statutes.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2022

16 minutes ago, subee said:

Please explain. You thought that putting gay marriage to a vote should not have happened and putting it up to the voters was being on the wrong side of history? It is a constitutional right so I'm confused why Florida would bother putting it to the voters - or was this before the Supreme Court intervened? As for sex education for young elementary school students - they don't require any detailed information on the nuances of gender except for a simple reply that not everybody is the same or something like that. The Florida legislature must not have enough to do if they have to legislate a simple explanation to a young child. I taught 3rd and 4th graders decades ago and one of the first things I learned as a 22 year old teacher is that what kids are really asking and what you THINK they are asking can be wildly different.

Yes, I'm talking pre-Supreme Court ruling.

The only reason there is gay marriage in Florida is because the Supreme Court made it national. Prior to the Supreme Court Ruling it was voted upon by the Florida public to ban not only gay marriage, but civil unions and to criminalize clerks who issued licenses to same-sex couples.

So yeah, this is what I'm talk about. History have proven the tide as turned in public sentiment. From 2020:

Quote

In a Quinnipiac University poll in May, Florida voters opposed same-sex marriage by a 10-point margin. A December poll released Thursday found support nearly evenly divided, with 43 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed. That's within the poll's margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.

Support for gay marriage was highest among the young: Voters 18 to 29 favored it by a 66-23 percent margin.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2012/12/20/poll-shows-opposition-florida-same-sex-marriage-dropping/15843577007/

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2022

8 minutes ago, nursej22 said:

There are parents up in arms in our state after the legislature passed a bill mandating Comprehensive Sexual Health Education in schools, starting in kindergarten. In reality, K-3 are being taught social-emotional boundaries and autonomy. That way they feel empowered to tell mommy's boyfriend or creepy Uncle Harry to keep their hands off.

The percentage of women that say they were abused by a male (usually someone they knew and trusted) is staggering, but let's get upset over Billy having two mommies or knowing that some boys like boys.

7 minutes ago, chare said:

Yes, this was in 2008, prior to SCOTUS intervention. Amendment 2, a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages and civil unions was approved by 62% of those voting. Amazingly it seems that, at least as late as 2021, it hadn't been removed from the FL statutes.

Thanks, I posted before reading your answer. That is interesting that it hasn't been removed.

Beerman, BSN · Mar 22, 2022

3 hours ago, heron said:

Fascinating, isn’t it, that so many assume that all children in fourth grade or less are straight, cis-gendered and living in heterosexual families? (We won’t get into the conflation of gender and sexuality.) Do straight kids at that age really need to be sheltered from the concept that not every one in the world is exactly like them? Don’t the kids who are not straight and cis-gendered deserve equal acknowledgement of their existence?

If the only acknowledged identity is cis-gendered heterosexuality, how is that NOT indoctrination.

Any reason any of that can't be handled at home?

And, I misstated earlier, it's actually third grade and below. If the law is meant to marginalize students of certain backgrounds, why stop at 3rd grade?

Beerman, BSN · Mar 22, 2022

52 minutes ago, nursej22 said:

There are parents up in arms in our state after the legislature passed a bill mandating Comprehensive Sexual Health Education in schools, starting in kindergarten. In reality, K-3 are being taught social-emotional boundaries and autonomy. That way they feel empowered to tell mommy's boyfriend or creepy Uncle Harry to keep their hands off.

May or may not be a good thing. Do you have a link to the bill, or what state you are in? Based on the name, I suspect there might me more that is putting parents "up in arms".