>> A PARENT’S RIGHT AND EDUCATION BILL STAS FORMALLY KNOWN OR IT IS KNOWN INFORMALLY
BY CRITICS THE DON’T SAY GAY
BILL.
>> SEVERAL CIVIL RIGHTS
ORGANIZATIONS AND A LOCAL COUPLE
ARE AMONG PLAINTIFFS WHO HAVE
ALREADY FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST
THE NEW LAW BUT MORE IMMEDIATELY
SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE SCRAMBLING
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEW LAW
REQUIRES OF THEM.
IT TAKES EFFECT IN JULY WHICH
MEANS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENT VICKIE CARTWRIGHT
IS RIGHT HERE WITH US LIVE TO
TALK ABOUT THAT, GOOD MORNING,
SUPERINTENDENT.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME
TODAY.
>> WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE.
ALL RIGHT SO AS GLENNA JUST
SAID, THE LAW GOES INTO EFFECT
IN JULY BUT YOU KNOW, THE
STANDARDS WILL NOT BE WRITTEN
FOR ANOTHER YEAR ON HOW TO
ENFORCE IT.
SO WHAT TO YOUR TEACHERS, THOSE
ESPECIALLY KINDERGARTEN THROUGH
THIRD GRADE, WHAT ARE THEY GOING
TO SAY WHEN A STUDENT PERHAPS
SAYS WELL, YOU KNOW, MY TWO MOM
YEES OR MY TWO DADDIES OR SAYS
SOMETHING WHICH IS INNOCENT BUT
MAY IN A SENSE VIOLATE THE
SPIRIT OF THIS NEW LAW.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
>> YOU KNOW, THAT’S A VERY TOUGH
SITUATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUT
INTO AT THIS POINT.
BECAUSE BASICALLY WE HAVE THE
LAW BUT WE DON’T HAVE THE GUARD
RAILS AS TO WHAT IS GOING TO BE
ALLOWABLE AND WHAT IS NOT GOING
TO BE ALLOWABLE.
AND ARE YOU RIGHT, THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS A
WHOLE YEAR IN WHICH TO PUT THOSE
GUARD RAILS INTO PLACE.
MEANWHILE HERE IS THE LAW.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT OUR
DISTRICT STRONGLY BELIEVES THAT
STUDENTS NEED AND DESERVE TO
LEARN IN SAFE ENVIRONMENT WAS
PREJUDICE OR DISCRIMINATION
STVMENT CRUCIAL THAT OUR SCHOOLS
CULT MATE-- CULTIVATE THOSE
VIEMENTS OF ACCEPTANCE AND
RESPECT.
SO FOR MY TEACHERS THAT ARE OUT
THERE, WHAT I AM GOING TO BE
SAYING TO THEM IS THAT IF A
CHILD BRING INS, AND HAS A
KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM, A CHILD
HAS TWO MOMS OR MAYBE HAS TWO
DAD YEES, AND THE CHILD IS
TALKING ABOUT THIS, THAT
WHAT-- WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE
TEACHING ABOUT T BUT WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE THAT ENVIRONMENT
OF ACCEPTANCE AND RESPECT FOR
ONE ANOTHER.
AND IT MAY BE JUST A SIMPLE
THING THAT HAPPENS ACROSS
CLASSROOMS ALL ACROSS THE U.S.
WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT’S
OKAY.
SOMETIMES MOMMIES AND DADDIES
DON’T HAVE TO BE A MAN AND A
WOMAN.
MOMMIES AND DADDIES CAN LOOK
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND THAT’S
WHAT MAKESEV REE ONE OF SOUS
UNIQUE AND THAT WAY IT JUST HAS
THAT ENVIRONMENT FOR THAT CHILD,
FOR ACCEPTANCE SO THAT ALL OF
THE CHILDREN ARE SUPPORTIVE OF
ONE ANOTHER.
>> SUPERINTENDENT, FOR GIVE THE
INTERRUPTION, COVERINGSES ON
ZOOM ARE REALLY DIFFICULT, WHAT
I WANT TO BRING UP IS THAT ONE
PARAGRAPH FLAY BIG BILL TALKS
ABOUT CURRICULUM, IT WAS MY
UNDERSTANDING, AND WE REALLY DID
TAKE A DIVE ON THIS NEW LAW FOR
THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAT
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FAMILIES IS
NOT PART OF THIS BILL.
THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE REAL
FEAR I THINK IS A CHILLING
EFFECT OF WHAT PEOPLE DON’T
KNOW.
BUT THE BULK OF THE BILL IS
ABOUT PARENTS’ RIGHTS.
AND SPECIFICALLY THAT SCHOOLS
NEED TO NOTIFY PARENTS OF
EVERYTHING THAT THEIR CHILD IS
LEARNING.
THEY NEED TO GIVE PARENTS ACCESS
TO ALL RECORDS, AND MOST NOTABLY
I THOUGHT WAS GET PARENTS TO
ACTUALLY PERMIT PLANS FOR
COUNSELING AND PLANS FOR SUPPORT
FOR A STUDENT WITH AN OPT OUT IF
THEY WANT.
AND I’M WONDERING IF YOU CAN
TALK ABOUT IS THAT VERY
DIFFERENT NOW?
DOESN’T THE DISTRICT ALLOW FOR
TOTAL PARENT PARTICIPATE AND
KNOWLEDGE?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE THERE?
>> YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE THAT
IS IN PLACE AT THIS POINT IN
TIME IS THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE
THAT IS IN THE BILL THAT IS IN
THE BILL ITSELF THAT IS VERY
CONCERNING.
BECAUSE AS T IS VERY NEB LOUSE.
AND YOU-- NEB YOU LUS BECAUSE
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT ST, IT BARS
SCHOOL PERSONNEL FROM
DISCOURAGING OR PROHIBITING THE
NOTIFICATION OF PARENTS OR
PARENTAL INVOLVE NMENT CRITICAL
DECISIONS THAT AFFECTS A
STUDENT’S MENTAL HEALTH, THEIR
EMOTIONAL HEALTH OR PHYSICAL
HEALTH OR THEIR WELL-BEING BUT
THE BILL ALLOWS SUCH INFORMATION
TO BE WITHHELD IF A REASONABLY
PRUDENT PERSON WOULD BELIEVE
THAT SUCH DISCLOSURE WOULD
RESULT IN ABUSE, ABANDONMENT OR
NEGLECT OF THE STUDENT.
SO WHAT IS THAT THRESHHOLD OF A
REASONABLY PRUDENT PERSON.
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE OR WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PROCESSES IN
PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW
TO WHERE IF THERE IS A STUDENT
WHO COMES TO US AND TELLS US YOU
KNOW, THAT THEY ARE GAY, AND AT
THIS POINT IN TIME WE HAVE A WAY
IN WHICH TO GO THROUGH AND WORK
WITH THAT CHILD.
WHAT SUPPORTS DOES THAT CHILD
NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
HOW CAN WE HELP THAT CHILD.
AND ALSO DETERMINE WHETHER OR
NOT HOW THEY HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION AT HOME.
AND SO IF WE DO DETERMINE YOU
KNOW WITH THIS INITIAL
CONVERSATION WITH THE STUDENT
THAT IN OUR REASONABLENESS THAT
IT MAY RESULT IN SOMETHING
HAPPENING AT HOME, ABUSE,
ABANDONMENT OR NEGLECT, AT THIS
POINT IN TIME WE HAVE A PROCESS
THAT WE HAVE TO HELP SUPPORT
THAT CHILD ALL THE WAY THROUGH
UNTIL THE PARENTS DO FIND, YOU
KNOW, THE STUDENT IS ABLE TO
REVEAL THIS TO THEIR PARENTS.
>> THAT’S-- SUPERINTENDENT, THAT
I THINK LET ME PURSUE THAT JUST
FOR A SECOND.
IF YOU REASONABLY BELIEVE THAT
THE CHILD SAYS, IF YOU TELL MY
PARENTS THAT I AM GAY OR
TRANSAND THEY’RE GOING PUNISH
ME, THEY MAY HIT ME, UNDER THIS
LAW, CAN YOU STILL NOT CONTACT
THE PARENTS?
>> SO UNDER THIS LAW YES, IF WE
BELIEVE THAT IT IS ABUSE,
ABANDONMENT OR NEGLECT IS GOING
TO OCCUR BY TELLING THE PARENT,
AND WE HAVE A REASONABLENESS
ABOUT THIS, A PRUDENT SEED TO
THIS, THEN WE DO NOT HAVE TO
TELL THE PARENT.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A CAV YET TO
THIS.
AND THE CAV YET IS, IS THAT
LET’S SAY IN THAT PROCESS THE
PARENT FINDS OUT.
AND THEN THE PARENT SAYS WAIT A
MINUTE, I WOULDN’T DO ANY ABUSE
TO MY CHILD YVMENT DID YOU DO
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW.
AND SO NOW IT, THE BILL
AUTHORIZES THE PATIENT TO BRING
LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT TO ATTAIN NOT ONLY THE
DECLARE TORE JUNK BUT ALSO
PREPARE FORCE AN AWARD OF
INJUCTIVE RELIEF, DAMAGES AS
WELL AS REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES
AND COURT COSTS, SO NOW EVEN
THOUGH WE BELIEVED WE WERE DOING
WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR THE CHILD,
THE PARENT FINDS OUT, NOW THEY
CAN SUE US AND THERE IS NO
PRECEDENT OUT THERE.
SO WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF THAT
RELIEF THAT MAY COME BACK
AGAINST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE JUST DON’T KNOW.
>> THERE IS, I MEAN MANY PEOPLE
MAY NOT KNOW THAT ALMOST THAT
STORY IN A NUTSHELL IS RIGHT NOW
A FEDERAL CASE IN LEON COUNTY
AND WAS BY ALL ACCOUNTS THE
INCEPTION OF THIS BILL BEING
WRITTEN.
IT IS A FAMILY, LITTLEJOHN IS
THEIR LAST NAME OUT OF LEON
COUNTY WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS
RECEIVING JUST SUCH SERVICES AT
HER OWN REQUEST AND AGAINST HER
PARENTS WISHES AND WITHOUT HER
PARENTS KNOWING, SO MIGHT THE
OUTCOME OF THAT CASE IN LEON
COUNTY SET THE KIND OF
PRECEDENTS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR?
>> YES, YES.
THAT TYPE OF GUIDANCE IS EXACTLY
WHAT WE NEED.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
WE-- RIGHT NOW AS YOU JUST
HEARD, THE WAY IN WHICH THE BILL
IS WRITTEN IT ALMOST
INCENTIVIZES DISTRICTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOU ARE TELLING
PARENTS.
BECAUSE NO GUARD RAILS, NO
INTERPRETATIONS AND NO PAST
PRECEDENT ON THIS.
>> YEAH,.
>> HE TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT
I DON’T WANT LITTLE CHILDREN IN
KINDERGARTEN, FIRST SECOND GRADE
>> GROOM THEELINGS KIEDS
ENCOURAGE THEM TO A I WANT TO BE
GAY OR TRANS.
>> THAT IS MY ONLY ACTUAL
INTERRUPTION THAT HAVE I AT THIS
POINT IN TIME.
I’M NOT REALLY SURE EITHER
BECAUSE WE DON’T DO THAT, AT
THOSE GRADE LEVELS, WITH A
LITTLE ONES, YOU KNOW, DIN I
THINK THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES ARE STUDENTS WHO
ARE MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS
COMMUNITY ARE OFTEN
OVERREPRESENTED WITH PLAWS
OPPOSED TO THEIR PEER,
UNFORTUNATELY WE KNOW THAT SINCE
TO 19 BEHAVIOR ARE ENGAGED BY
TRANSGOANDER OR QUESTIONING
STUDENTS REPORT INCREASED
INSTANCES OF BULLYING BASED ON
GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL
IDENTITY AND YOU KNOW WE KNOW
THAT TREVOR’S PROJECT, THE
NATIONAL SURVEY ON THE LGBTQ
INDICATES DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE
RATES AMONG OUR TRANSGENDER
YOUTH ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO GENDER
AFFIRMING SPACES ARE NEARLY HALF
OF THAT FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO
DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO GENLDER
AFFIRMING SPACES SO AGAIN WE’RE
NOT IN OUR SCHOOLS, ALL WE’RE
TRYING TO DO IS PROTECT OUR
STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM THAT
ENVIRONMENT TO WHERE THERE’S
ACCEPTANCE AND RESPECT. AND
WHEN WE START BLEEDING INTO
THESE AREAS WHERE WE ARE
LIMITING THOSE ENVIRONMENTS,
IT’S JUST SUCH A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
ALSO ONE THING T THING I I FIND
INTERESTING ABOUT THIS BILL T
DOES NOT APPEAR RIGHT NOW THAT
THIS NEW LAW WOULD EVEN APPLY TO
CHARTER SCHOOLS WHERE HE SIGNED
THE BILL AND INTO A PLACE AT A
CHARTER SCHOOL.
>> BEFORE WE END THIS
CONVERSATION, I JUST WANT TO SAY
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, MY DAUGHTER
ATTENDED A BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC
HIGH SCHOOL AND WHENEVER THERE
WAS A QUESTION ABOUT A CLASS OR
HER CONDUCT OR SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENED AT SCHOOL, WE WOULD GO
IN AND WE’RE ALWAYS GREETED
OPENLY, ANYTHING THAT WE WANTED,
WAS GIVEN TO US.
WE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS SO BUT
HAVE I TO SAY WHEN I SEE
PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION
BILL, HAVE I GOT TO SAY THE 20
YEARS AGO I WAS A PARENT AND HI
PLENTY OF RIGHTS IN SCHOOL AND I
THINK ALL YOUR PARENTS HAVE A
RIGHT, I MEAN YOUR SCHOOLS
RESPOND WHEN PARENTS WANT TO
COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THEIR
KIDS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP.
RAISING CHILDREN IS NOT JUST THE
ROLE OF ONE PERSON OR A-- OR
JUST A PARENT, RIGHT, OR A SET
OF PARENTS OR A SET OF GUARDIANS
OR CAREGIVERS T TRULY GOES BACK
TO THE CLICHE IT TAKES A VILLAGE
TO RAISE A CHILD.
WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER
ALONGSIDE ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER
TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE RAISING
OUR CHILDREN IN A WAY THAT
ALLOWS THEM TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL
AS POSSIBLE.
I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT IN SCHOOLS
THAT WE GO IN AND THE PHYSICAL
ACT OF RAISING A CHILD.
WE JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE
STRUCTURES ARE IN PLACE AS
CHILDREN GROW SO THAT AS THEY
ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE,
HAVING DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS
THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE,
THAT WE ARE HAVING THAT
ENVIRONMENT TO WHERE THEY FEEL
THERE IS COMFORT AND RESPECT AND
ACCEPTANCE, YOU KNOW, BROWARD
COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPPORTS
OUR DIVERSITIES POPULATION
INCLUDING THOSE LGBTQ PLUS.
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST
DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY TO PASS
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING OUR
LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, THIS SAY
PARTNERSHIP.
>> AND WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE
KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH YOU AS
THIS CONTINUES BECAUSE IT IS
UNFOLDING REALTIME AS WE SPEAK
AND WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE