Bob Chapek's response to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill

[ImperfectPixie]

I think we all can agree we want our teachers instructing our kids properly, on the subjects we need them taught. We don’t want them sharing their politics, we don’t want them sharing their religion, and we want all of these discussions if they come up to be treated appropriately based on the age of the children.

But again, I believe this is already the case. There may be a few teachers who have gone rogue, but I don’t see why this bill would be necessary to address it. That’s what makes the bill more suspect.

It only targets a specific sector of people, which says more the enough about its true intent.

The author himself said that he's afraid children being exposed to sexual identity is creating more LGBTQ+ children (not a direct quote, but close enough to what he said). So he wants to eliminate any discussion of it in schools...it's flawed logic at it's finest because kids are going to be kids. They're going to talk about things their parents don't want them to when their parents aren't around. NOTHING adults do will change that. There are kids who have 2 moms or 2 dads. There are kids who have gay siblings, etc. Pretending that the LGBTQ+ community doesn't exist does nothing but cause harm.

The fact that the bill requires teachers to out LGBTQ+ students to their parents regardless of possible abuse makes clear the intent of the bill, IMO.

The entire reasoning for this bill rests on a Godwin's argument.


Just letting you know, schools have their own agenda (fought and settled a Federal ADA case a few years ago). Bills like this make sure that parents -- that want to be -- are involved in their child's education. To say I have an agenda of putting God in school shows that you weren't reading what I typed. That's not AT ALL what I said. It's OK for you to not like the bill. However, I see it as way to say, Hands Off My kid. I hope you or your child never has to go through what we did.

No. Those laws to ensure parental rights are already in existence - I have hundreds of copies of them in my possession as I'm given a new one at every school meeting. Don't fall for the attempts these people are making to disguise what this is. Please see my comment above - I've seen the video of the bill's author openly saying that he's afraid schools are creating more LGBTQ+ kids and that's why he wrote the bill.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I agree teachers should be paid a reasonable amount. However, anyone that posts teachers should be paid more should also post what government benefits are you willing to give up or how much more you are willing to pay in taxes. I am willing to pay a few hundred more in state taxes to pay teachers but want the school adminiatration cut too.

Our county had a 4% prepared meals tax on the ballot a few years ago. 70% of the money brought in from that would have gone to our schools, providing an estimated 70 million additional dollars to our district annually. The counties around us all have similar prepared meals taxes, yet it failed. I voted for it, and absolutely would again.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

When's the "Don't Say Evolution" bill?

 

[TikibirdLand]

In what way were parents in Florida prohibited from being involved in the functioning of a school district? Bills like this let a few people engage in coercive action by threatening and engaging in legal action all while those who passed the law can claim otherwise. It is openly and deliberately disingenuous.

Different state, same issue... We were not allowed to discuss with the school district on providing certain accommodations specifically covered under the ADA. That lead to having to file a Federal complaint with the district. The school had its own agenda and would not involve us in the decision. It was rather costly to get it addressed.

But, this thread is very shrill in the bill's opposition. You're not listening. So, I guess I'll have to have bow out.

 

[lazyboy97o]

When's the "Don't Say Evolution" bill?

It’s a special mutation operation.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Different state, same issue... We were not allowed to discuss with the school district on providing certain accommodations specifically covered under the ADA. That lead to having to file a Federal complaint with the district. The school had its own agenda and would not involve us in the decision. It was rather costly to get it addressed.

But, this thread is very shrill in the bill's opposition. You're not listening. So, I guess I'll have to have bow out.

Without knowing the specifics of your case, it sounds like the district was violating existing law. That is not the same. The district was doing something it was not supposed to do. This bill isn’t closing some loophole being exploited by renegade districts.

While the mechanism for addressing ADA violations is also lawsuits the original authors and continued proponents of the law don’t shy away from that purpose. I deal with the ADA nearly every day. There’s a lot that is misunderstood and needs to be done, but the purpose is greater access. The ability of individuals to use lawsuits to be coercive exists but it is also supposed to not be overly punitive and there are defined standards that help determine the extents of application.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Different state, same issue... We were not allowed to discuss with the school district on providing certain accommodations specifically covered under the ADA. That lead to having to file a Federal complaint with the district. The school had its own agenda and would not involve us in the decision. It was rather costly to get it addressed.

But, this thread is very shrill in the bill's opposition. You're not listening. So, I guess I'll have to have bow out.

I am not trying to be argumentative and am honestly curious what your situation has to do with this bill at all. Please explain.

 

[TikibirdLand]

Without knowing the specifics of your case, it sounds like the district was violating existing law. That is not the same. The district was doing something it was not supposed to do. This bill isn’t closing some loophole being exploited by renegade districts.

While the mechanism for addressing ADA violations is also lawsuits the original authors and continued proponents of the law don’t shy away from that purpose. I deal with the ADA nearly every day. There’s a lot that is misunderstood and needs to be done, but the purpose is greater access. The ability of individuals to use lawsuits to be coercive exists but it is also supposed to not be overly punitive and there are defined standards that help determine the extents of application.

Violating my own note... I won't bore anyone with specifics. However, all districts have agendas that reflect the people running it. So, you'll see stuff like the "culture" being discussed without out parental input. Only after some verbal scuffle happens, do we find out about them. This law is specific in the LGBQ+ language. But, there's quite a few topics that would fit in that bill. I want the district boards to honor the open meetings Federal Laws and have real dialog about what's being taught. Sounds like you may have seen how that "sausage" is made. As a parent, I want a voice at the table. Districts would rather not have that.

OK. I need to bow out, for real now! Sorry about that!

 

[TikibirdLand]

I am not trying to be argumentative and am honestly curious what your situation has to do with this bill at all. Please explain.

Sorry. I really can't go into detail on it. Let's just say that mental health in the school system is woefully misunderstood and cetain topics in our culture are treated quite terribly. Even I have trouble expressing it.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Sorry. I really can't go into detail on it. Let's just say that mental health in the school system is woefully misunderstood and cetain topics in our culture are treated quite terribly. Even I have trouble expressing it.

Oh I am sure, I have been lucky in my district, that it has a very good support system but even then there are cracks. But, I ask doesn't this bill go against trying to make things better? As I said, we are taking closing off a whole group of traditionally marginalized kids with this.

 

[UNCgolf]

The biggest problem with letting parents have a say in what their child is taught is which parent gets to decide? If one parent is adamant that their child should only learn a sanitized version of American history and another parent is adamant that their child should learn the full version, who wins?

Most American adults already have wildly inaccurate beliefs about American history due to the misleading (if not occasionally outright wrong) version they learned in high school.

It's a serious problem for teaching history, and can be a serious issue for science as well. Math is really the only subject where the issue is mostly avoided.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Violating my own note... I won't bore anyone with specifics. However, all districts have agendas that reflect the people running it. So, you'll see stuff like the "culture" being discussed without out parental input. Only after some verbal scuffle happens, do we find out about them. This law is specific in the LGBQ+ language. But, there's quite a few topics that would fit in that bill. I want the district boards to honor the open meetings Federal Laws and have real dialog about what's being taught. Sounds like you may have seen how that "sausage" is made. As a parent, I want a voice at the table. Districts would rather not have that.

OK. I need to bow out, for real now! Sorry about that!

Nobody wants you to leave.

What you continue to describe is violations of existing laws. That isn’t something being addressed by this bill. It doesn’t let parents be involved, it lets a small few dictate the terms through threats.

Here’s a suddenly relevant story/hypothetical. I think we’d all agree that kindergartners don’t need to be learning about or discussing war. But imagine if one parent could sue a district and thread a teacher’s livelihood because war was discussed in a kindergarten class when half those students said goodbye to a parent over the weekend and say their teacher doing the same. I know that’s happened and I know there was one parent who went absolutely ballistic over her kid learning that a bunch of soldiers from the adjacent base just deployed.

 

[Ayla]

You see, there's the problem. Those against the bill aren't reading it. There's nothing there that says one cannot briefly discuss it. Sorry. But, parents are responsible for raising their children. Schooling is mandatory; however parents are still THE PARENTS.

Using Segregation as a argument against parental rights is really just a Godwin's argument used to provoke an extreme response. I'm not playing. Oh, and creating a human makes you a parent. As testament, I'll say none of us were prepared! And, if you're not actively watching what your school is teaching your child, I'd say, you're definitely not prepared.

If you (general you) are so insecure in your beliefs that you feel the need to control and micro-manage every aspect of your child's life, keep them at home and homeschool them.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Wouldnt be the first company to participate in greenwashing or other forms of tacit lip service in search of any perceived advantage. I hate to be cynical but in business it's always about the money... they love its customers? They love their impact on the balance sheets.

Indeed, but this statement read as very tone deaf to me and goes along with the very bad PR from Disney in the Chapek era exemplified by the Scarlett Johansson conflict where they accused her of being insensitive to people suffering from Covid.

In this case, it seems weird to hold up things like Coco and Encanto (because they have Latin American settings?) as Disney's way of battling prejudice rather than what politicians they fund and the legislation they support. In other words, pay attention to the diverse line-up on Disney+ rather than where Disney spends its money and does choose to influence legislation. It just reads as too cynical for anyone to take seriously.

 

[Ayla]

The entire reasoning for this bill rests on a Godwin's argument.
You want God in the schools and to ignore science, then homeschool. This mentality is why so many LGBT kids end up harming themselves.

Exactly.

 

[Ayla]

Teachers in FL are paid so pathetically, wages are pitiful across the board and the state is becoming unaffordable for so many...and these are the pieces of legislation this moronic government passes or even has the audacity to waste time on. How any teacher will even want to deal with this BS is beyond me.

If I was a FL teacher, I'd be turning in my resignation tomorrow, effective at the end of the school year.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Disney to Still Fund ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Backers, Will Support Gay Rights with ‘Inspiring Content’

 

[Ayla]

I agree teachers should be paid a reasonable amount. However, anyone that posts teachers should be paid more should also post what government benefits are you willing to give up or how much more you are willing to pay in taxes. I am willing to pay a few hundred more in state taxes to pay teachers but want the school adminiatration cut too.

What we paid in federal taxes last year would cover the average FL teacher's salary. Fl doesn't have a state income tax, which explains a lot of the issues in the state.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The biggest problem with letting parents have a say in what their child is taught is which parent gets to decide? If one parent is adamant that their child should only learn a sanitized version of American history and another parent is adamant that their child should learn the full version, who wins?

Most American adults already have wildly inaccurate beliefs about American history due to the misleading (if not occasionally outright wrong) version they learned in high school.

It's a serious problem for teaching history, and can be a serious issue for science as well. Math is really the only subject where the issue is mostly avoided.

I thought the exact same thing. Some children are currently learning that Christopher Columbus discovered America and that the Native Americans and pilgrims had a lovely dinner together, centered around love, friendship, and togetherness. In other words, BS.

I’m not a parent yet, but I’d be much more concerned about what my children are learning in their history classes than LGBTQ+ topics (which I have no concern over whatsoever).

 

[alphac2005]

If I was a FL teacher, I'd be turning in my resignation tomorrow, effective at the end of the school year.

As a parent of a child in FL public schools, we've already been losing too many terrific teachers due to low pay, low morale (for many obivous reasons), etc. The last thing we need is a further exodus. A serious question that I have due to this ridiculous piece of legislation, is how far do things end up going? For example, my son's school is wonderfully welcoming and inclusive and that includes a huge pride flag in the courtyard amongst other things. Will this be challenged by parents as being "taught" to students?