Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley supports the idea of Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.
However, she believes the Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay,” should go even further.
During an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday, Haley said, “Think about what they’re doing with the gender stuff.”
“In Florida, they talked about the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and said, you know, you shouldn’t talk about — to any child before the third grade — about gender,” she continued. “No, that doesn’t go far enough.”
Haley went on:
“When I went to school, you didn’t have sex ed until 7th grade, and even then your parents had to sign a permission slip. And my dad wouldn’t sign it, so I was the uncool kid in the classroom next door.”
She added, “Parents need to be teaching their kids this, not schools. You don’t need to be talking about gender. You don’t need to be talking about race.”
Listen to her comments below:
2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley says Florida’s Don't Say Gay law “doesn’t go far enough”:
— The Recount (@therecount) March 2, 2023
“When I went to school, you didn’t have sex ed until 7th grade, and even then your parents had to sign a permission slip. And my dad wouldn’t sign it, so I was the uncool kid.” pic.twitter.com/VcasbU4Ens
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed the Parental Rights in Education bill into law in March 2022. It is designed to limit the classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The text of the legislation states:
“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
It is supposed to “reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children.”
The Washington Post notes, “Sex education has already been banned in Florida (as in many states) until the fifth grade. So critics say the law tries to solve a problem that doesn’t exist for the state’s youngest students.”
It added, “Because it limits even discussions about LGBTQ issues, it could stifle conversations for children who need to work through their own gender or sexual-identity questions, they say.”
During a press conference, DeSantis argued it was “inappropriate” for kindergarten-aged children to be taught “they can be whatever they want to be.”
“It’s not something that’s appropriate for any place, but especially not in Florida,” he insisted.
