Broward schools takes down pride month teacher guide following Florida’s Voice inquiry
Lydia Nusbaum contributed to this report.
BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. (FLV) – The Broward County Public School District removed a link to an “Educator’s Guide to LGBT Pride” on their website following Florida’s Voice inquiry into whether the materials were appropriate in wake of recent Florida law.
The “Educator’s Guide to LGBT Pride” told teachers to incorporate LGBTQ-related issues in curriculum to promote a “general tone of acceptance.”
Florida’s Voice reached out to Broward County School District to ask why they are advertising a LGBTQ Pride Month Guide for educators on its website.
The district said it is “committed” to complying with state laws and took down the teacher guide soon after.
Even though it linked to a 2012 guide, that webpage appears to have previously been updated within the school year to include Broward County’s 2022-2023 pride month resolution.
In 2022, DeSantis signed legislation to prohibit gender teachings to K-3 graders. In 2023, lawmakers expanded that prohibition to PreK-8th grade. The state board of education also voted to ban gender teachings through K-12 grade with exceptions.
The website previously said, “Go to GLSEN to access the LGBTQ Pride Month Guide for Educators,” which was deleted Tuesday.
The guide instructed educators to include LGBT topics in the classroom year round, discuss the LGBT movement, creating a display for the classroom, post signs, include LGBT history in lessons, read LGBT themed/inclusive books in class, and more.
“Including LGBT topics in your classroom year round helps make a school a safer place for all students,” the flyer said.
“Teaching about LGBTQ-related issues and incorporating LGBTQ people in the curriculum provides all students a window into a world they might not otherwise have access to, raising awareness and promoting a general tone of acceptance,” the flyer continued.
On Tuesday, the district sent Florida’s Voice the following statement:
Broward County Public Schools is committed to complying with all state laws and Board of Education requirements. As part of the District’s annual post Legislative session activities, staff is reviewing the District’s website and other resources and will take any actions necessary to ensure compliance.
Statement from the BCPS, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
In May, DeSantis spoke on the legislation that extends the existing K-3 ban on instruction relating to sexual orientation and gender identity to also include PreK-8.
“Some people were trying to jam it into Pre-K to get around that law. So this says Pre-K, and also goes up to grade eight, because I think what we’ve seen in these in these libraries, and in some of the books, there’s clearly a concerted effort to try to do indoctrination in the middle school grades,” DeSantis previously said.
In grades 9-12, the legislation requires that instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity must be age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.
“If a parent wants to engage in that with their kid at those ages, then then that’s up to them, but we should not be putting that in the curriculum in school,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said they will be focusing on math, reading and science.
“We’re focusing on the subjects that really really matter for our party,” DeSantis explained.
The organization, Equality Florida, called this bill, along with others that were signed into law, the “largest slate of anti-LGBTQ bills in one legislative session in the state’s history.”
Democrats have claimed the legislation discriminates against LGBTQ students and teachers in schools.
Broward County Schools resolution in support of Pride Month said it is important for all districts to “stand up and show support” for LGBTQIA+ students and staff facing discrimination.
