NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — More students participated in a walkout Monday against a bill currently being debated in the Florida Legislature that limits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
A group was seen around the lunch hour outside River Ridge High School following several statewide protests last week, including one last week at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg.
A few students were seen holding pride flags and other messages in support of the LGBTQ community. After some time, the group appeared to head back to class.
The House version of the "Parental Rights in Education" bill, HB 1557, bars educators from teaching LGBTQ-related topics within a curriculum to students in kindergarten through third grade.
Because of its restrictions, opponents have dubbed the bill "Don't Say Gay." In addition to limiting teachers' lesson plans, school districts may opt to ban topics of sexual orientation or gender identity beyond third grade if leaders deem them not to be age or developmentally appropriate.
The bill allows for the discussion of such topics should they spontaneously come up in the classroom, said Republican Rep. Joe Harding, who sponsored the House’s version of the bill, in an earlier committee meeting.
Jack Petocz, an openly gay teen who called for the statewide demonstrations against the bill last week, said he was suspended after the Flagler Palm Coast High School principal "voiced his opposition" to the 200-plus pride flags he purchased on his own and brought to school, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
In response to Petocz's claims, Jason Wheeler, the spokesperson for the Flagler County School district, said the school worked with district administrators "to allow for the student protest, while not disrupting other students who prefer to not take part."
The school also denied that Petocz was suspended. Instead, school officials say he was "administratively excused from campus so that the school administration can conduct their investigation."