White House denounces Florida GOP over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The White House is slamming Florida Republicans over a proposal to ban discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in the state’s schools. A White House spokesperson weighed in on the legislation shortly after a GOP-controlled committee approved the bill Tuesday. The measure has been dubbed by activists as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. It states that “a school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Parents could sue a school district for violations. The White House said the proposal would marginalize LGBTQ children who are “already vulnerable to bullying.”