This week the Florida Senate Education Committee passed the Parental Rights in Education bill, also known by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The legislation would block school districts from allowing discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.
Across the country in San Francisco, parents have expressed outrage over the city’s school board not going back to in-person classes sooner during the pandemic, moves to rename schools amid the closures, and a decision to do away with one high school’s merit-based admissions system. That outrage has led to a recall vote for three members of the board, which is set to take place on Monday.
“For the first time across the country, it doesn’t matter if you’re in California or in Texas, parents’ rights to raise their children and instill values in them are being taken away,” he said, citing mask and vaccine mandates, critical race theory and discussions of gender and sexuality in the classroom.
In the liberal bastion of San Francisco, three Democratic school board members are facing a recall effort, which has been backed by the city’s Democratic Mayor London Breed.
“Sadly, our school board’s priorities have often been severely misplaced,” Breed said in a statement in November. “During such a difficult time, the decisions we make for our children will have long-term impacts. Which is why it is so important to have leadership that will tackle these challenges head-on. … Our kids must come first.”
However, Law said he believes the parent-led protests against school systems will eventually fade away along with the pandemic.
“People may be more engaged with school board elections than they’ve ever been,” he said. “I find it very hard to believe years from now school boards are going to be at the front of the mind.”