FLORIDA - JOE HARDING WEEKLY UPDATE

 

Friends, This was a landmark week for the defense of parents and families in Florida. My legislation, House Bill 1557, and its Senate companion got a lot of attention the past few days, and I'm happy to report that the legislation passed the Education Committee in the Senate on Tuesday. Among other things, the legislation sets clear boundaries in Grades K-3 that discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity is reserved for parents in the home rather than in the classroom. There has been considerable press coverage, some good and some bad, on this important issue. Unfortunately, there has also been a lot of misinformation promoted by the Biden White House. In this media-driven era which is always generating and celebrating conflict, this is perhaps unsurprising but still disappointing. Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary, actually took time to make negative, uninformed comments about my bill during an official White House briefing. I had to respond. In case you haven't seen it, here is what I recorded: Let's be clear what is in the bill: Parents are to be informed if there is a change in the student's health or well-being Parents are to have access to any records relating to their children There is no classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity issues in Grades K-3 The core purpose of this legislation is to keep Florida parents in the driver's seat when it comes to their children's education. Unfortunately, we sometimes battle a disturbing mindset that the government should have that primary role. The Florida Legislature can play an important role in setting clear policies for school districts throughout the state. That's what you elected us to do. Despite the angry rhetoric coming out of Washington, I am encouraged that many of us have been able to engage in civil debate about these issues. In a country rooted in the principle of freedom, we are going to disagree sometimes. But we can continue to work together to find the best policies for the people of Florida.  Joe