. @SenJanetCruz files an amendment to protect safe spaces for LGBTQ students.
It fails.
Sen. @FarmerForFLSen files an amendment to eliminate the "Don't Say Gay" provision in the bill, removing the line targeting "sexual orientation and gender identity".
Sen. @dennisbaxley says that's the most important part of the bill.
The amendment fails.
Sen. @TinaPolsky points out that while @GovRonDeSantis claims this bill is about sex education -- that's not what the bill says at all.
She also calls out the bigoted insinuations by the Governor's office that anyone opposing the bill is a pedophile.
Sen. @ShevrinJones files an amendment to replace a ban on classroom instruction on LGBTQ people with a ban on classroom efforts to *change* someone's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Now Sen. @ShevrinJones is brought to tears sharing his powerful story of being a queer, Black man in FL. How much he sacrificed in order to be himself, including friendships.
He begs his colleagues to open their hearts & vote with compassion. "Do no harm."
His amendment fails.
. @LeaderBookFL files an amendment to clarify what "classroom instruction" means. Supporters of the bill regularly say this bill is limited to "curriculum", but that is not the definition of "instruction". Leader Book's amendment would clarify.
It fails.
. @senpizzo files an amendment to remove the portion of the bill that allows parents to sue the school district.
It fails.
Sen. @loriberman offers an amendment to create resources for parents on how best to talk to their children about sexual orientation or gender identity at home.
It fails.
We're on to questions on the bill -- unamended.
Sen. @TinaPolsky : We've talked a lot about K-3. But the "or age appropriate" section extends it to ALL grades, correct?
Sen. @VicTorres_FL : Do you believe teaching about LGBTQ people is dangerous?
Sen. @dennisbaxley refuses to answer. "I don't think it's important what I believe."
He has equated LGBTQ parents to "drunks" and "drug abusers" in the past.
. @SenAudrey2eet : If a student, as instructed by the school, brings in a family tree project and says, "I have two mommies" -- what is a teacher supposed to say?
Sen. @dennisbaxley invokes Russia, accusing schools of "social engineering" children.
In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed his country's own "Don't Say Gay" bill in 2013.
. @LeaderBookFL : State education standards ask me to instruct on families of yesterday vs. families of today. If families of today can mean two mommies or two daddies -- will that invoke a lawsuit?
. @SenJanetCruz : We have been teaching kids for I don't know how long. Why now? How does a teacher prove that conversations about LGBTQ people are "organic" and not anything she instructed? Are we prepared for what's coming?
. @senpizzo : Senator Baxley, can you define gender identity?
Sen. @dennisbaxley : I don't have a prepared answer.
Sen. @dennisbaxley : I'm not interested in being cross-examined.
Sen. @dennisbaxley : My understanding of sexual orientation is "man or woman".
. @senpizzo : Can anyone define grooming for me? Because I learned yesterday from @GovRonDeSantis ' office that if I don't support this bill, I must be in favor of grooming.
. @SenAudrey2eet : If the concern is topics that are "not appropriate" for children, why are sexual orientation and gender identity singled out and no other topics included?
Sen. @TinaPolsky : Why is drug use not a "sensitive" topic in this bill? Why not life & death? Why only sexual orientation & gender identity?
Sen. @dennisbaxley says it's because there's a "wave" of students "trying on new identities" because they're being engineered to.
And with that, questions and amendments conclude.
The Don't Say Gay bill, in its original, unamended form, will be up for debate and a final vote on the Senate floor next.
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Let us be clear: should the vague language of this bill be interpreted in any way that causes harm to a single child, teacher, or family, we will lead legal action against the State of Florida to challenge this bigoted legislation.
We will not allow the governor’s office to call us pedophiles. We will not allow this bill to harm LGBTQ Floridians. We will not permit any school to enforce this in a way that endangers the safety of children. We stand ready to fight for Floridians in court & hold lawmakers...
who supported this bill accountable at the ballot box.
At every turn, the legislature rejected reasonable amendments to this legislation and refused to mitigate its harm. Now, in deference to the extreme political agenda of @GovRonDeSantis , the Senate has passed the hateful...
The Don't Say Gay bill is on the Senate floor for its final vote in the legislative process this morning. If passed, it will go to the governor's desk.
We'll keep you posted here. Or you can tune in live. And no matter what happens -- our fight continues. thefloridachannel.org
Sen. @TinaPolsky : It's clear that this bill has caused a lot of angst and fear in the LGBTQ community...because it sends a message that they don't matter or should feel shame.
Sen. @TinaPolsky : Do we really think that teachers are engineering kids to be gay? It is preposterous...If you look in your hearts, do you really think we're doing something to help Floridians here?
One day after @GovRonDeSantis’ office said that quiet part out loud, that they believe the existence of LGBTQ people to be a threat to children, the Florida Senate rejected reasonable amendments to this legislation and refused to mitigate its harm. (1/4)
Even as thousands of students walked out of class in protest & hundreds lined the halls of the Capitol to demand lawmakers address the damage being done by this bill, the Senate doubled down on the Governor’s political agenda and the anti-LGBTQ extremism at the heart of it. (2/4)
Now Senators face a final choice: will they vote with LGBTQ students and their families or will they side with angry mobs hurling anti-LGBTQ slurs at those asking for nothing more than a safe place to go to school without having to hide who they are? (3/4)
Ahead of today's Senate floor debate on the Don't Say Gay bill, students and faith leaders from across Florida are rallying on the Capitol steps with LGBTQ lawmakers.
Today is the day for cooler legislative heads to prevail. Today is the day to put a stop to Don't Say Gay.
Students and faith leaders have now made their way inside the Capitol, just outside the room where Florida's State Senate has convened.
Rep. @CarlosGSmith with a message for LGBTQ youth: "We will get up, stand up, wake up every single day to fight for you because your lives matter." ❤️
Tallahassee-area students walked out and headed to the Capitol with a message: "We say gay." ❤️ #DSGWalkout
Thousands of students across the state are refusing to watch their classmates (or themselves!) be erased by the legislature. They're demanding an end to #DontSayGay .
‼️ The Don’t Say Gay bull is up in its final hearing today. Senate Appropriations. We are on the ground with dozens of Floridians ready to share their stories.
We will keep you updated here. And you can watch live. Hearing begins at 10:30a.