Florida plans to revoke or suspend the teaching licenses of elementary school educators who teach students about gender identity or sexuality, according to a new rule published by the state’s Department of Education.
The rule, proposed in August and approved by Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. in September, is intended to enforce a 2021 state law that forbids instruction on gender identity and sexuality for children in kindergarten through third grade. The measure, the Parental Rights in Education Act, is known by opponents as the “don’t say gay” law.
The Florida Department of Education has done little to publicize its rule on teachers’ licenses. The rule appeared online around the same time that the state was taking damage from Hurricane Ian, which has left more than 100 dead. News of the rule was first reported Tuesday by the newsletter the Progress Report.