Florida teachers can 'say gay' under settlement

Florida opponent of "Don't Say Gay" law — The law now restricts classroom instruction on sexual orientation, but not discussion of those topics (Image credit: Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

What happened

Florida reached a settlement Monday with civil rights groups that challenged a controversial 2022 sex education law dubbed "Don't Say Gay" by its critics. The settlement, filed in federal court, keeps the law in place but clarified it "restricts only classroom instruction" on "sexual orientation" and "gender identity," not discussion of those topics.

Who said what

The settlement "safeguards against hate and bullying" in school, said plaintiffs' lawyer Roberta Kaplan. "Simply put, the State of Florida has now made it clear that LGBTQ+ kids, parents and teachers in Florida can, in fact, say that they are gay." A spokesperson for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called the agreement a "major win" because "Florida’s classrooms will remain a safe place" and the law won't be "maligned in court, as it was in the public arena."

What next?

Florida must now make clear to its 67 public school districts that students and teachers can discuss gender and sexual orientation, read and perform literature with LGBTQ themes, and teach anti-bullying lessons, and that school library books can't be banned for LGBTQ content.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.