AP, other outlets repeat liberal ‘Don’t Say Gay’ talking point on Florida education bill as legislation passes

Media shops are repeating a liberal speaking level whereas reporting on the HB 1557 training reform invoice being handed in Florida. 

A GOP-backed invoice garnered nationwide consideration for being derided by progressives as being anti-LGBTQ with accusations that the invoice forbids any dialogue pertaining to being homosexual in faculties. Left-wing critics have referred to the laws because the “Do not Say Homosexual” invoice although such language is absent from the invoice itself. 

The invoice, formally named Parental Rights in Schooling, states, “Classroom instruction by college personnel or third events on sexual orientation or gender id could not happen in kindergarten via grade 3 or in a fashion that isn’t age-appropriate or developmentally applicable for college students in accordance with state requirements.”

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The laws moreover requires faculties to tell dad and mom “if there’s a change within the scholar’s companies or monitoring associated to the scholar’s psychological, emotional, or bodily well being or well-being and the varsity’s capacity to supply a protected and supportive studying atmosphere for the scholar” and requires guardian approval earlier than youngsters from kindergarten via third grade take part in a “well-being questionnaire or well being screening” and that folks have the choice to choose their youngsters out throughout all age teams. 

Following a 22-17 vote within the Florida Senate, the invoice now heads to the governor’s desk. Quite a few shops, nonetheless, offered a partisan framing to the vote, utilizing the “Do not Say Homosexual” characterization of the reform effort.

The Related Press ran the headline “‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice passes in Florida, goes to governor” with AP reporter Zeke Miller tweeting, “The Florida legislature has handed the ‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice, which Gov. Ron DeSantis is anticipated to signal into legislation.” 

The three broadcast networks had been in sync with the framing of their tales with ABC Information working, “‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice passes Florida Senate,” CBS Information working, “Florida Senate passes controversial ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice regardless of protests” and NBC Information working “‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice: Florida Senate passes controversial LGBTQ college measure.”

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The Impartial went dramatic with its story, “‘One other stain within the historical past of Florida’: ‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ passes state legislature, might be signed into legislation,” quoting Democratic Florida Senator Shevrin Jones, an overtly homosexual member of the state Senate. The Guardian was additionally aggressive with its headline, “‘Don’t say homosexual’ invoice: Florida senate passes legislation marginalizing LGBTQ+ individuals.” Time Journal revealed “Florida Simply Handed The ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ Invoice. Right here’s What It Means for Children.” 

Screenshot of a Affiliate Press headline, studying “‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice passes in Florida, goes to governor.’

Two of Florida’s largest papers The Miami Herald and The Orlando Sentinel, printed “Scholar voices are loud, however Florida Republicans are clear. ‘Don’t say homosexual’ invoice passes” and “Florida lawmakers approve ‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice, DeSantis anticipated to signal it” respectively. 

The Hill ran a narrative centered on the backlash of the invoice, working the headline, “A whole lot of Florida college students stage walkout to protest ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice. The story omitted the particular kindergarten-third grade clause of the laws, writing the invoice is targeted on “main college college students.” 

Different shops like The Washington Submit and Reuters avoided utilizing “Do not Say Homosexual” of their headlines however maintained the tone of the slogan with “Florida legislature passes invoice to limit LGBTQ matters in elementary faculties” and “Florida lawmakers go invoice limiting LGBTQ dialogue in class” respectively. 

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CNN ran the story “Florida legislature passes invoice prohibiting some classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender id,” burying any point out that the kids it entails are kindergarten to 3rd grade age to the seventh paragraph, which quoted DeSantis’ protection of the invoice. 

NPR supplied probably the most context in its headline, “Florida Senate passes a controversial faculties invoice labeled ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ by critics,” showing to evolve from its earlier protection final month when it ran a narrative titled, “‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice would restrict dialogue of sexuality and gender in Florida faculties.”

DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw advised Fox Information Digitial, “The truth that so many company media shops are utilizing the totally false ‘Don’t say homosexual’ branding — a Democrat epithet for the parental rights invoice — simply proves they can’t defend their precise place. Most Floridians, whether or not homosexual or straight, assist parental rights and are not looking for youngsters to be uncovered to sexually inappropriate content material. This isn’t solely frequent sense; it’s frequent decency.” 

Demonstrators protest contained in the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida Home Republicans superior a invoice, dubbed by opponents because the “Do not Say Homosexual” invoice, to forbid discussions of sexual orientation and gender id in faculties, rejecting criticism from Democrats who stated the proposal demonizes LGBTQ individuals.
(AP Photograph/Wilfredo Lee)

On Monday, DeSantis clashed with native reporter Evan Donovan at a press convention on “what critics name the ‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice.”

“Does it say that within the invoice?” DeSantis requested. “Does it say that within the invoice?”

As Donovan tried to reply, DeSantis interjected, “I am asking what’s within the invoice since you are pushing false narratives. It would not matter what critics say.”

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Donovan then tried quoting the textual content of the invoice, “It says ‘Classroom instruction on sexual id and gender orientation,’” however was pummeled additional by the governor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses a joint session of a legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. 
(AP Photograph/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

“For who?” For grades pre-Okay via three, no five-year-olds, six-year-olds, seven-year-olds,” DeSantis advised the reporter. “And the concept you would not be sincere about that and inform individuals what it truly says, it is why individuals do not belief individuals such as you since you peddle false narratives. And so we simply disabused you of these narratives.”

“And we’ll be sure that dad and mom are capable of ship their child to kindergarten with out having some of these things injected into their college curriculum,” DeSantis added. 

Final week, DeSantis had an analogous alternate with one other reporter the place he elaborated on his assist for the laws. 

“What number of dad and mom need their kindergarteners to have transgenderism or one thing injected into classroom instruction? And so I feel these are very younger youngsters. I feel the legislature is principally attempting to present dad and mom assurance that they’re gonna be capable to go and these things’s not gonna be there,” DeSantis stated.

“However there’s nothing within the invoice that claims something about ‘you cannot say’ or ‘this say.’ It’s principally saying for our youngest college students… do you really need them to be taught about– and that is any sexual stuff, however I feel clearly proper now, we see a whole lot of deal with the transgenderism – telling youngsters that they are able to choose genders and all that. I don’t assume dad and mom need that for these younger youngsters, so I feel that’s what they had been attempting to do, and I feel that’s justifiable,” he continued.