Florida settles lawsuit after challenge to ‘don’t say gay’ law

Students and teachers can discuss sexual orientation and gender identity under settlement that clarifies what is allowed in schools

Students and teachers will be able to speak freely about sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, provided it’s not part of instruction, under a settlement reached Monday between Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys who had challenged a state law which critics dubbed “don’t say gay”.

The settlement clarifies what is allowed in Florida classrooms following passage two years ago of the law prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. Opponents said the law had created confusion about whether teachers could identity themselves LGBTQ+ or if they even could have rainbow stickers in classrooms.