ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida's board of education passed new rules under existing state laws Wednesday stating it advances individual freedom and parental rights in schools.
The meeting drew ire from LGBTQ advocacy groups and support from others during public comments on a rule implemented under Florida's "Parents' Bill of Rights" passed in 2021.
Board members voted unanimously to require schools to notify parents of any student bathrooms, locker rooms and dressing rooms that are not separated by biological sex at birth. That must also 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.
"All students need to feel safe in the bathrooms and their locker rooms, and we need to be able to let parents know how they are being monitored," said Jessica Tillman, the Seminole County chapter chair of Moms For Liberty.
The rule will ensure full transparency to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of students when utilizing bathrooms and locker rooms, and protect parental rights, according to the action item document.
Parents in favor of the rule argue it's about being more transparent under the law, which states that "important information" relating to a student should not be withheld.
"It's not mandating what a particular bathroom looks like or doesn't look like, or who can use it, it's about parental notification," Board Chair Tom Grady said.
However, critics argue it makes transgender students feel targeted, and they are the ones feeling unsafe under the rule.
"It makes me want to fight even harder," Beth Vanmiddlesworth of Pinellas Park said.
Vanmiddlesworth's son, Sam, who is transgender, said it's a struggle enough having to navigate the use of public bathrooms.
"I felt like I was in danger," Sam Vanmiddlesworth said. "No matter what bathroom I used. I felt unsafe just walking about in the hall because I would get shouted at by people trying to figure out what I was."
Wednesday's meeting was also met with backlash from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups who criticized the Parental Rights in Education Law, known to critics as "Don't Say Gay" because it bars educators from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity to students in kindergarten through third grade. School districts may opt to ban topics of sexual orientation or gender identity beyond third grade if leaders deem them not to be age or developmentally appropriate.
Board members also passed a new rule under that law that could revoke or suspend a teacher's license if found to have violated the law.
“The Board of Education’s facilities separation rule does not and cannot prevent transgender students from accessing facilities aligned with their gender identity — we know Federal law and the constitution protect these rights," said Joe Saunders, Equality Florida's senior political director, in a statement. "Florida school districts have been following federal law for more than a decade, establishing policies we know will continue to work long after this politically-motivated proposed rule."
The board, with a majority appointed by the governor, adopted about a dozen new rules on Wednesday.