(CNN) More than 500 students participated in a massive walkout Monday at Winter Park High School in Orange County, Florida, in protest of the "Don't Say Gay" bill currently being considered by the state Senate, according to walkout organizer and high school student Will Larkins.
The Parental Rights in Education bill, HB 1557, would effectively ban teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms for young students. LGBTQ advocates say the measure would lead to further stigmatization of gay, lesbian and transgender children, causing more bullying and suicides within an already marginalized community.
- CNN

What is the "don't say gay" bill?
That bill, titled Parental Rights in Education, states that lessons about sexual orientation are banned outright in kindergarten through third grade. It also prohibits lessons in other grades unless they are "age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate."

The measure, which would give parents the right to sue school districts, awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature. It is scheduled to go into effect on July 1.

The bill's supporters say it strengthens parental rights by preventing teachers and school staffers from withholding information about gender issues from parents. (An earlier version of the bill went even further, requiring principals to tell parents if a student came out as other than straight. That provision was pulled last month.)

Opposition to the bill has been fierce. Democrats and LGBTQIA supporters, who have derisively dubbed it the "Don't Say Gay" bill, say the law would stigmatize marginalized students and lead to bullying and attacks.
- findlaw

A full summary of the Bill can be found here although I already brought up the main part are against.

For debate...
1. Should school children be learning about sexual orientation at an early age?
2. Do you agree or disagree with any of the specifics of the bill?
 
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I could care less of people's sexual orientation. What I don't like is the way it's all being pushed in society especially with our young people. I'm sick of it. We can't even believe what we want any more. If we don't cave into their 'beliefs' we are labeled as hateful, racist or homophobic.
 
School should be a place where students learn math, language arts, science, history and other vital subjects. School should not be a place where sex and sexual orientation are taught, especially to kindergartens. Let children be children and stop pushing liberal, sexual agendas.
 
1. Should school children be learning about sexual orientation at an early age?
In my view, I don't see any harm in letting school children learn about sexual orientation but it depends on which ones we teach about and how we teach it.

I don't see any harm in making young kids aware of the existence of all scientifically validated sexual orientations and how they are a part of Western society. I stress scientific validation because there are so many alternative genders/sexualities out there pushing to be acknowledged and/or protected and I'm sure they will also want school children learning about their lifestyles, as well. Having some scientifically validation ensures that such alternative genders/sexualities are indeed real classifications that people experience (enduring and distinct behavioral pattern, not simply a choice or something someone/some group just made up), and that it's shown to not be harmful to society, especially mental health.

The second thing I would want to know before any kids are introduced to the topic of sexual orientation is how we're teaching it. Kids should definitely not be indoctrinated or taught moral standards in school unless the parents approve of it. It's one thing to get into the facts of sexual orientation, but it's another thing to go beyond that by getting into social rights and moral issues (like getting into what the Bible has to say about it, or how far people should go accepting it which gets into issues like the SCOTUS ruling on the Colorado baker).

I'm sure there are other factors that should be considered, but to ban the topic entirely in schools is extreme in my view.
 
I could care less of people's sexual orientation. What I don't like is the way it's all being pushed in society especially with our young people. I'm sick of it. We can't even believe what we want any more. If we don't cave into their 'beliefs' we are labeled as hateful, racist or homophobic.
The LGBT community would probably say that they have to push their lifestyle to get it out there so that people know about it, see how it is not harmful, and thus end discrimination. On the other side, I think it's safe to say that many Christians and Conservatives don't want the LGBT lifestyle being pushed at all. But then there is another crowd, made up of secularists and even some religionists, that might say that the issue is pushed too far or overpromoted - some may that the lifestyle is being flaunted. Their representation and influence in Hollywood, media, in colleges are examples of this.

For now, I don't fall into any camp because I'd rather go on a case-by-case basis. In schools, certainly trying to push any civil rights agenda on children goes too far. Just start them with the basics just as Chapabel brought up in his post. But elsewhere? It depends. Now if society is being pushed to become gender-neutral to accommodate some in the LGBT crowd, then that would be pushing too far.

I started a new thread on the LGBT pushing their lifestyle too much. You can join that discussion here.
 
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One thing that annoys me is that a lot of people that I've talked to about this outside don't seem to care or lack a view on this issue.

I am thinking that if you don't inform yourself on these issues or have a voice one way or another, others will speak for YOU. It's the same as voting. It frustrates me when a lot of the people that complain about about the government being unfair or corrupt, are the ones that don't vote in every election (local, state, and national).
 
I think there are some exaggerations here and it may be part of a deliberate attempt to inflame the situation. It's one of the tactics that I brought up in another topic (where i talk about injecting race, LGBT, into matters.) regarding how politicians get us to divide over our differences (as opposed to getting along despite our differing views).

Do you think that the "Don't say Gay" bill would harm LGBT rights? Is it anti-LGBT? Again, personally, I don't but it's being framed that way to cause division. Although I'm aware that some Republicans are anti-LGBT, and that this may be a step closer to banning the topic altogether, however, this particular bill doesn't do that. I'm also aware that some in the LGBT may want to indoctrinate or push an agenda, like trying to scrap gender roles altogether.
 
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The right to indoctrinate the minds of the young has long been the pejorative of religion and they must do everything they can to keep their hands on that right. Heavens forbid, those youths might end up open minded about these things and forget they are supposed to hate homosexuals as much as those who follow false religions (that is, any religion that is not based in Christianity).
 
The right to indoctrinate the minds of the young has long been the pejorative of religion and they must do everything they can to keep their hands on that right. Heavens forbid, those youths might end up open minded about these things and forget they are supposed to hate homosexuals as much as those who follow false religions (that is, any religion that is not based in Christianity).
I'm sure plenty of Republicans are more upset about the content of the indoctrination and not indoctrination itself. You pointed that out clearly in your post! Personally, I'm against all indoctrination, especially when or if we can't agree on what to indoctrinate our kids with. Ideally, I'd want only the facts taught as well as basic subjects, like math and English. An alternative might be to just teach every social issue that is big in our culture, that includes religion, sexuality, etc, but then again I'd want that all presented as things to learn about the culture and not as some unquestionable truth.
 
In my experience, Republicans always Roar with Rage, even if it is something they invented so that they could roar at it. The parental right in Florida to protest at ANY book in a school or a school library brought a tongue in cheek protest that the age inappropriate Bible is available to children of all ages in that State. At least we independents have a sense of humor.
 
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