The Florida Board of Education passed a new rule on Wednesday that requires school boards that allow transgender students to use bathrooms inconsistent with their biological sex at birth to notify parents of the policy.
The new rule, 6A-10.086, will mandate public and charter schools to provide “full knowledge” to parents regarding how the school’s restrooms and locker rooms are designated if they are separated for any other reasons than biological sex.
The purpose of the new law is, “To protect the fundamental rights of parents to ensure they are fully informed of how bathrooms are designated and how locker rooms, which include dressing rooms, are designated and supervised. This rule will ensure full transparency to enhance the health, safety and welfare of students when utilizing bathrooms and locker rooms and protect parental rights.”
In addition, if a school board chooses to allow any different criteria “the policy or procedure must be posted on the district’s website or charter school’s website, and must be sent by mail to student residences to fully inform parents.”
Any exceptions must also legally include accommodations to ensure that all students have an opportunity to use a bathroom or locker room “separated by biological sex at birth.”
The emphasis focused on parental notification, a significant focus of conservatives in the Sunshine State.
“What this rule is about, as I understand it, is parental notification,” Board of Education Chairman Thomas R. Grady said Wednesday, according to The Hill. “It’s not mandating what a particular bathroom looks like or doesn’t look like or who can use it.”
Florida educator Matthew Woodside also spoke during the hearing ahead of the vote on Wednesday.
“As a Brevard Public Schools educator for the past 16 years, I’ve repeatedly seen the harmful results of allowing students to use the facility of the opposite sex,” Woodside stated.
“As a Brevard Public Schools educator for the past 16 years, I’ve repeatedly seen the harmful results of allowing students to use the facility of the opposite sex.”
Matthew Woodside @Matt_Woodside
Florida Department of Education
State Board of Education Meeting. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/xff7Yn6O6I
— Moms for Liberty (@Moms4Liberty) October 19, 2022
“Let’s be very clear: our policies are compelling teachers to be in the presence of nude minors of the opposite sex and expose our students to the same. This is criminal in any other context. Yet, teachers are given official threats with discipline when they refuse to comply,” he added.
Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. added his support to the bill ahead of the vote.
“This rule will ensure full transparency to enhance the health, safety and welfare of students when utilizing bathrooms and locker rooms and protect parental rights,” he stated, according to Florida’s Voice.
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