'Don't Say Gay' expansion requested by DeSantis approved

The Florida Board of Education has approved a ban on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades. The board passed the proposal on Wednesday. It will take effect after a procedural notice period that lasts about a month. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration put forward the measure last month as part of his aggressive conservative agenda. DeSantis is gearing up for an expected presidential run. The rule would ban lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4-12. Florida already bans such lessons in kindergarten through third grade. The prohibition has drawn intense backlash from critics. They argue it marginalizes LGBTQ+ people and has vague terms that result in self-censorship from teachers.