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Florida district sends memo about enforcing state laws on transgender bathrooms and preferred pronouns

Rating: Transphobic, Fox News, August 8, 2023 (PDF archive) (HTML archive) (Video 1 archive) (Video 2 archive) (Take Action)


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Florida district sends memo about enforcing state laws on transgender bathrooms and preferred pronouns

Florida’s Orange County Public Schools district sent out a memo on Monday warning against socially transitioning, requiring preferred pronouns, or using bathrooms that do not correlate to one’s biological sex.

The Orange County Public Schools District released a memo on Monday that outlined how it will enforce new state laws against transgender ideology, “Condensed Guidance House Bill 1069 Regarding Pronouns and House Bill 1521.” 

Due to House Bill 1069, school policy will be steered by sex and not gender identity.

A U.S. classroom

Classrooms have been a cultural battleground over whether teaching about transgender ideology is a form of indoctrination rather than education. (iStock)

JEWISH SUMMER CAMP DECLARES IT WILL HIDE FROM PARENTS THE NEWS OF ANY KID WHO ‘TRANSITIONS AT CAMP

“The bill states that ‘Sex’ is an ‘immutable biological trait’ and that it ‘is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex,’” the memo wrote. “Since sex is identified as determined by the genitalia ‘present at birth’ that means a person’s sex is his or her biological sex at birth under House Bill 1069.”

It noted that “employees, contractors or other students” will be subject to the letter of the law in that they “’may not be required, as a condition of employment or enrollment or participation in any program, to refer to another person using that person’s preferred personal title or pronoun if such personal title or pronouns do not correspond to that person’s sex.’”

The memo warned against employees or contractors “may not ask a student” to provide preferred pronouns, nor may they “provide a personal title or pronoun to students which does not correspond the employee’s or contractor’s biological sex at birth.”

all-gender bathroom sign

Some argue that the best way to allow transgender people to use restrooms is to give them single-stall rooms that can be used by people of any identity. ( Martin Schutt)

While schools in other states battle over policies that keep gender transitions from parent, this district instead voiced its skepticism about whether they even would be allowed to do so if requested by a parent.

“Questions have arisen about whether a parent can approach an employee and ask the employee to utilize a pronoun which does not correspond with the student’s biological sex at birth. The State Board of Education has not given guidance on this precise question,” the memo wrote. “An educator cannot solicit a child’s pronouns, as this is directly prohibited by law – a parent would have to approach the educator about utilization of a pronoun differing from the child’s biological sex at birth.”

The memo added that “a teacher may use a nickname approved by the parent as identified in the form which the parent completes (a copy of which is linked here) in order to authorize a nickname for the child.”

Violating the news laws brings serious consequences such as a teacher having their certification revoked. 

The memo also cited House Bill 1521 or “Safety in Private Spaces Act” regarding bathroom usage.

“The law requires bathrooms other than single stall bathrooms to be separated by biological sex at birth. For our transgender students and employees, they must be provided single stall restrooms for their usage,” the memo said. “Transgender students and employees may not enter into a group restroom which is designated for the sex other than their biological sex at birth.”


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