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It also seeks to also ban teachers and other presenters from discussing topics of sexual orientation and gender identity with students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The bill, proposed by representative Dodie Horton, seeks to prohibit “teachers and others from discussing their sexual orientation or gender identity with students” from kindergarten through 12th grade. In Louisiana, a Republican state representative introduced a bill last month that seeks to ban discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in certain public school classrooms. LGBTQ+ advocates in Georgia have pushed back heavily against the bill, arguing that it is not about parental rights but rather “restricting the activities, participation and learning” of children in schools. The act, which is sponsored by 10 Republican state senators, says “a focus on racial and gender identity and its resulting discrimination on the basis of color, race, ethnicity and national origin is destructive to the fabric of American society.” According to the act, “No private or nonpublic school or program … shall promote, compel, or encourage classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the student.” In March, Georgia legislators introduced the Common Humanity in Private Education Act. While race, sex and American history remain the most common targets of censorship, bills silencing speech about LGBTQ+ identities have also surged to the fore,” the organization said. “Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ bill is just the tip of the iceberg.
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At least 105 of those target K-12 schools, 49 target higher education and 62 include mandatory punishments for those found in violation. Over 156 gag-order bills targeting issues of identity have been introduced or refiled in 39 states since January 2021, according to a February report by PEN America, a non-profit that seeks to protect freedom of expression in the US. Since the bill’s introduction and passage, various Republican-run states have filed similar legislation that mimics Florida’s, reflecting a chilling wave of speech and identity restrictions across the country.