The Miami-Dade County School Board on Thursday reversed yet again, voting to approve health and sex education textbooks for middle and high school students that have moved to the forefront of Florida’s battle over what is taught in schools.
It wasn’t just a reversal of the previous decision, it was a reversal of a reversal. The board said he approved the book with her 5-3 vote in April and last week he rejected it with a 5-4 vote, so students could go months without a sex education curriculum. is rising.
the refusal was overturned by another 5 vs 4 vote.
Board member Lucia Baez Geller, who voted to approve the book, said in a telephone interview, “We breathe a sigh of relief because what happened last week was essentially a book ban and a knowledge ban. “This sets a dangerous precedent for our students.”
The original April approval of a book titled “Comprehensive Health Skills” was preceded by a new state law that proponents called the Parent Rights in Education Bill and opponents dubbed the “don’t say gay” law. sparked a wave of petitions citing .
The bill, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, bans teaching and discussion of sexual orientation and gender to some elementary school students.
The law has become one of the most prominent elements of the national conservative movement to make “parental rights” a central political issue, while the liberal movement to teach American history and gender identity approach has also been criticized.
Miami-Dade textbooks cover both traditional topics in sex education, such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as subjects such as stress management, drugs and alcohol.
“Much of the content is age-inappropriate, disenfranchising, scientifically inaccurate, and not factually based,” said Alex Serrano, director of the Miami-Dade chapter of Liberty County Citizens. I said it at a meeting last week.
Thursday’s decisive change vote was that of board chairman Perla Tavares Huntman, who called a meeting to amend an earlier decision, according to Baez Geller.
Huntman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Baez Geller said Huntman’s decision was based on her judgment that the use of books was necessary to meet state educational standards. He said that
Her vote resolved the debate, unless it was just a prelude to re-reversal.
“From today onwards, I think this issue will be put aside,” Baez-Geller said. “Hopefully.”