SW News: The Florida Board of Education updated the policy known informally as "Don't Say Gay" on April 19, at the request of Governor Ron DeSantis, to prevent discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom for Grades 4 through 12.

The new regulations forbid teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom unless it is necessary to meet state standards or is a part of voluntary reproductive health instruction. This regulation will supplement the Parental Rights in Education Act, which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed in March 2022.

According to Firstpost, in response to a query about the proposed revisions, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. stated, "Nothing is being removed." Instead, the legislation would offer clarity to guarantee that our teachers are not in danger of teaching against the standards and that they are followed.

In response to the policy, Joe Saunders, senior political director of the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida, said, "Let's put it plainly, this is part of the governor's assault on freedom, which will further stigmatize and isolate a population of young people who need our support now more than ever."

The new regulation, according to its supporters, "strengthens the relationship between parents and children by keeping private conversations between students and their families within the home."

The measure has been criticized for purportedly impeding free speech due to its ambiguous definitions of "instruction" and "gender identity and sexual orientation."

Critics of the ban said that it unjustly targeted LGBTQ+ people and that instructors would self-police due to the law's ambiguity. Meanwhile, Democratic Party President Joe Biden called it "hateful."