Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ forced disclosure amendment withdrawn

https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/...uld-force-schools-to-out-students-in-6-weeks/

Obviously, if a kid has not told their parents, they probably have a good reason for that. This just removes their ability to feel safe in an environment to talk to school counselors and trusted adults at school. This is not in a child's best interests at all.

The government is not a good at dealing with domestic issues. All I can see is more teens running away from home, being kicked out of their homes and increased attempted and completed suicides. It may also lead to more school shootings for kids that feel trapped and confused with nowhere to turn. This is heartbreaking.

What do you think?

 

This is awful. I heard about it earlier today. Man my state sucks.

Florida, where we strive to **** up your family. We're really good at it!!!

 

What an absolutely disgusting group of human beings

 

I agree with you both.

The part I really hate is that these kids are going to mentally and emotionally struggle with identifying their sexuality and will be trapped with no support. This basically forces non-heterosexual people back into the closet - and that leads to reckless behavior, lying, manipulating an opposite gender into a fake marriage or even having children, etc..

Nothing **good** can come from this. It's revolting how judgmental and cruel some people can be.

 

I’m glad. Not much more to say to it than that.

 

Why are you glad about this?

 

I don't understand. Isn't the story here that they withdrew the amendment forcing schools to out the students to parents?

 

The original law was that school employees and officials had to disclose a minor's sexuality.

In the originally filed version, the bill already required schools inform families of their child’s LBTQ+ status, should the student inform a teacher, counselor or other school personnel. However, it left an option for exemption from disclosure, or “outing” as it’s known, for cases where there was a suspicion of the information leading to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
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The new bill basically removes that last phrase (I bolded and underlined). In effect, it means that adults within the school system are required to notify the minor's sexuality (outside heterosexuality) and **must** be done within six weeks from the point in which said adult is made aware of the minor's sexuality.

 

But doesn't the removal of the amendment mean that schools can still withhold the info from parents if it endangers the student? I am just trying to see if the situation is getting worse of better.

 

No, it's the other direction. School personnel is mandated to notify parent(s)' of their minor child's (anything other than heterosexual) sexual status.

 

IC. Thanks for the reply. I vaguely saw reports about this on the news but the happenings in Florida do not really interest me much.

 

I don't watch television or listen to the radio. I'm just not hard-wired to hear constant negativity.

Nevertheless, I believe this specific bill is important as it could set the precedent for the entire nation. I'm hesitant to sit on my hands until this kind of effort makes it to Illinois. Basically, anything that happens to one of us (each state) eventually happens to all of us.

 

My own rule of thumb is I do not really worry about or involve myself in politicized social issues. It is not that I don't have an opinion on it, I just do not want to be part of that war.

 

I understand what you are saying, but this is a health issue, really.

Kids know their parents far better than a teacher. A parent who will be openly hostile to a gay child will do far more to harm the child than the fact that they are gay.

So many kids died unnecessarily (suicide,) or ran away from home (super risky and doesn't always turn out well), due to them being utterly petrified of how their parents will treat them if they find out.

We are, as a society, regressing. Our goal should be inclusive. Gay people have been around as long as people. The gay animals even longer. Let's accept this as a fact of life on planet earth and move on already!

 

What the hell do you expect them to do when they aren't attending to other people's wombs and sexuality questions during growing pains?

 

My biggest fear when I was in the closet was being homeless. I constantly feared my parents in high school would disown me and kick me out of the house (which unfortunately happens all too often). So if a school district outed me because I came out of the closet then I would have been homeless.

 

So it was sarcasm?

 

I have to remind myself of the year in which we are currently living on a regular basis. It is beyond my comprehension that this kind of bill has passed - today. I can't understand how people can be so ill informed because of their hate/fear/religion - today.

 

No I was kicked out.

 

Florida GOP is going "all-in" with the anti-gay laws, which is disturbing to say the least.

So, if the gay kid is form a muslim of fundamentalist Christian family and wants to keep it a secret, this bill forces the school to inform the parents,,,,, Insane.

 

I was referring to your joy that this is happening.

 

Oh yeah I’m glad this is happening in the sense that it’s being withdrawn my mistake.

 

Read post 8.

 

Florida - we protect families. Well, except if they have a gay kid. In that case, said family can get ****ed.

 

When a partisan can't defend the actions of their team. "Nothing to see here. This is fine."

Where are you Team Red? Are you proud that Florida is trying to get gay kids to commit suicide or run away from home? Do you all hate gay people THAT much?