My child is in Gay Straight Alliance at a middle school in Martin County School District, Florida. Earlier in the year, they took a photo of themselves in front of a rainbow and submitted it to the yearbook. Their photo was left out of the yearbook due to concerns about the expansion of the don’t say gay bill. There is nothing in this bill to indicate that either the Gay/Straight Alliance club, or the picture submitted would violate statute. 

It is horrifying to see educators pressured and confused into what is and what is not an illegal action on their part in regard to supporting the children in their classrooms. They are making extreme decisions in what is known of as "the chilling effect right"; this is the effect of being frightened out of making normal and necessary decisions for fear of breaking a law. 

What this chilling effect has done in my school has in actuality caused teachers to break the law.

Leaving a student club out of the yearbook based on sexual preference and gender identity is discriminatory! 

But wait, there is more!

The chilling effect is also having effect withing school curriculum. A sixth grade class in this same district was taking a science class. The students in this class were given a worksheet and asked to label parts of the female reproductive system. Students approached their teacher to ask for help with the work sheet, and were told that the teacher was not allowed to offer that information.  

That’s clearly another misinterpretation of the rules, showing that educators are frightened to teach.

But wait, there's more!

In yet another incident, a teacher in the Martin County School district refused to use a book about Rosa parks for fear of violating a statute about CRT.  There is nothing about the book or the topic that would be in violation of statute, and we all know CRT never existed in the classrooms.

 Again, a misunderstanding, a statute lead to a discriminatory outcome.

Each of these issues is directly connected to this legislation.

Teachers should be able to teach their students without fear of retribution. This new law will "effectively muzzle any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity, out of fear. Under the law, parents can sue the school district if they believe the school is in violation."

How can a teacher do their job when under the constant worry that anything they do or say could be subject to lawsuit?

I am asking (again) that the elected officials on the Martin County School Board provide training to teachers on what these statutes meant for them as educators in the classroom. There MUST be space for this kind of training at our school to further avoid discriminatory issues in our school system.