A new state law that forbids transgender or nonbinary people K–12 educators from using their pronouns has prompted three Florida educators to file a federal complaint.
Teachers are not permitted to “provide to a student his or her desired specific title or pronouns if such preference do not relate to their sex,” according to an amendment to the law that went into effect in July. Additionally, it establishes gender based on a person’s baby reproductive system.
Those who break the law risk having their training license revoked or suspended, among other penalties.
According to the 61-page complaint, which was filed on Wednesday,” Defendants are current and former Florida public school teachers who just wanted to teach mathematics, science, and their other school themes of expertise.” However, Florida passed a new legislation earlier this year that forced one claimant out of the teaching profession and threatens to do the same for the other defendants as well as for different transgender and nonbinary teachers in Florida who are similar to them.
The defendants are past Florida Virtual School professor AV Schwandes, who was fired for breaking the law after using gender-neutral nouns, and Katie Wood, a high school teacher in Hillsborough County who goes by the surname” Jane Doe.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center and the laws company Altshuler Berzon are representing them.
According to a media release from the SPLC,” Some teachers have now left the job and the position in response to discriminatory laws Florida passed to force LGBTQ+ people out of public life and remove their existence.”
People of the Florida Department of Education, its Education Practices Commission, and the State Board for Education are among those who are being sued. The school board for Lee and Hillsborough regions as well as the Florida Virtual School Board of Trustees are also mentioned.
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The plaintiffs ‘ representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, Wood stated that” there is no British proper more important than freedom of expression and shelter from the government that weaponizes their disagreements on that representation.” I demand to be treated fairly and fairly at function as a human being living in America. Those who back and uphold this law are attempting to silence my voice and bury my life.
The professor word provision is to be blocked, according to a lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
According to the teachers, it is against national Title IX rules, the Civil Rights Act, First Amendment, Equal Protection Clause, and the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause, which “protects people from discrimination based on sex in educational plans or activities that receive federal financial support.”
Douglas Soule, a columnist for the Florida government responsibilities network, is based in Tallahassee. You may reach him at [email protected]. @DouglasSoule on Twitter
