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Our country is sharply divided today. The world views that define the current culture war in the United States have made it impossible to operate a one-size-fits-all public school system. This is why a recently-passed law in Florida makes all the sense in the world. I’m talking about Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) recently signed. LGBTQ protesters and many in the liberal media have labeled it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
If you read the bill, you would know that’s a gross mischaracterization.
The Florida legislation, which defines itself at the outset as about parental rights, has 163 lines, out of which a total of five address sex education.
Those few lines simply say that “instruction” in “sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade three or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
That’s it.
This bill gives parents a say about what their kids should be taught while in school and keeps the focus on education.
“It’s about protecting parents’ ability to be involved, and it’s making sure that the classroom instruction, particularly these very young kids, are focused on math, science and reading,” DeSantis said about the new legislation when he signed it.
This new law follows the belief many people have that any conversations about sexual orientation should be kept out of the classroom because it’s a topic that should be had with and overseen by parents. But LGBTQ activists predictably slammed the bill as anti-gay, simply because this new law does not allow them to push their agenda in schools.
This is another example of the blinding hypocrisy of gay activism. Any opposing viewpoints to their beliefs are viewed as being intolerant. Why? Because they don’t agree with it.
As a Christian, my view is that denial of the reality of man and woman, sexual activity outside the framework of conjugal marriage, is sinful and destructive behavior.
But I recognize, as do most Christian parents with children in public schools, that our biblical point of view is not going to show up in government owned schools.
We live in a country populated with widely different perspectives and beliefs. Florida’s new law reflects that disparity. The LGBTQ community is upset because it doesn’t support its point of view. But that’s America.
Young people in Florida are being told that they live in a free and diverse country. So, matters of sexuality should be handled by parents at home and public schools should teach kids how to read and do math. It helps these young people become responsible adults, respectful of others with different opinions.
