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Board of Education might exceed Florida law in limiting gender identity lessons

A roundup of Florida education news from around the state
 
Hillsborough High School students protested the Parental Rights in Education bill in March 2022, saying it would chill discussions and conversations with teachers. The State Board of Education has proposed rules extending into high schools the limitations initially placed on early elementary grades.
Hillsborough High School students protested the Parental Rights in Education bill in March 2022, saying it would chill discussions and conversations with teachers. The State Board of Education has proposed rules extending into high schools the limitations initially placed on early elementary grades. [ ARIELLE BADER | Special to the Times ]
Published March 23, 2023

The big story: The State Board of Education is looking into a rule that would extend limitations on instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation through the 12th grade.

The proposal, set to come to the board in April, would reach beyond the current law and proposed legislation. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre blasted the initiative, calling it “completely, utterly wrong.”

State Board chairperson Tom Grady defended the approach, arguing that the law is not as restrictive as what those who have dubbed it “don’t say gay” would have the public believe, Florida Phoenix reports.

Meanwhile, an Orange County high school canceled a Drag and Donuts event sponsored by its Queer and Ally Alliance club after coming under fire from the State Board, the Orlando Sentinel reports. More from WOFL.

Hot topics

University tenure: Lawmakers and the DeSantis administration want to curtail professors’ tenure, saying it’s a way to hold educators and schools accountable to parent and state priorities. Faculty members say it could make it harder to attract and keep top academics.

Teacher pay: The State Board of Education called for ways to pressure school districts and unions that have not yet distributed state-allocated pay raises, the News Service of Florida reports. • Representatives for the St. Johns County school district and teachers union made their cases during an impasse hearing over pay, WTLV reports.

Mental health services: Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis is leading a charge to revamp the state’s standards for services provided in K-12 schools, with a focus on resiliency, Florida Politics reports.

Credit recovery: The Washington County school district has established a Saturday program to help juniors and seniors who are not on track for on-time graduation, WJHG reports. The district will use pandemic relief funds to pay for the initiative.

Board politics: Sarasota County School Board member Tom Edwards walked out of a board meeting after being attacked with anti-gay slurs from the public, the Herald-Tribune reports. More from WTVT.

From the police blotter ... A Duval County teacher was arrested on allegations of lewd and lascivious behavior involving a student, the Florida Times-Union reports.

From the court docket ... An appellate court has ruled that the Palm Beach County school district must share revenue from a 2018 referendum with charter schools, the News Service of Florida reports.

Tallahassee action

Vouchers: The Senate accepted the House version of a bill to expand school vouchers and create universal education savings account, as it prepared for a final vote on the measure, Florida Politics reports.

Nursing education: The Senate gave final approval to a measure that would make it easier for combat medics to get a nursing degree from a state university, Florida Politics reports.

Today in Tallahassee ... The House Education and Employment Committee is scheduled to take up eight bills including HB 733 on school start times and HB 1069 on sex education when it meets at 8 a.m. • The full House is slated to meet at noon, with HB 7025 on safe school officers on the special order calendar. • The full Senate is set to give final consideration to HB 1 on school vouchers when it convenes at 1:30 p.m.

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