WASHINGTON (LifeSiteNews) – President Joe Biden declared Tuesday it is “hateful” to shield schoolchildren from discussions of sexuality and gender that may be beyond their age level, in his latest attack on Florida and its Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential challenger to Biden for the White House.
SB 1834, the Parental Rights in Education bill, would block Florida school districts from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity with elementary school students, and give parents the ability to sue for damages over violations. It is one of multiple bills pending in the Florida legislature that would limit children’s exposure to sensitive sexual topics.
On Tuesday, the White House issued a statement claiming the legislation was “designed to attack LGBTQI+ kids” and would have the effect of “making growing up harder for young people.” It was soon followed by a statement from the president calling SB 1834 “hateful.”
I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community — especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill — to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are. I have your back, and my Administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve. https://t.co/OcAIMeVpHL
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 8, 2022
NBC News reports that DeSantis signaled his support for the measure at an event in Miami, calling it “entirely inappropriate” for teachers to tell children things like “Don’t worry, don’t pick your gender yet” or withhold controversial classroom materials from parents.
“Schools need to be teaching kids to read, to write,” the governor said. “They need to teach them science, history. We need more civics and understanding of the U.S. Constitution, what makes our country unique, all those basic stuff. The larger issue with all of this is parents must have a seat at the table when it comes to what’s going on in their schools.”
“I also think one of the things that I think the legislature is getting at is everything should be age-appropriate,” DeSantis added, The Blaze reports. “My goal is to educate kids on the subjects, math, reading, science, all the things that are so important. I don’t want the schools to kind of be a playground for ideological disputes.”
Since taking office, Biden has aggressively courted the LGBT lobby in hiring decisions and executive orders. By contrast, DeSantis has aggressively pursued a litany of conservative priorities, including protections for religious freedom, conscience rights, and the objective reality of biological sex, raising his profile as a potential 2024 contender in the eyes of conservatives.