By Gabriella Borter

(Reuters) – The Florida Senate is set to approve a Republican-backed bill Tuesday that prohibits young people from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in class. This measure was denounced by Democrats as anti-LGBTQ.

The “don’t say gay” bill has been referred by opponents to the legislation. It stirred up national controversy in a heated debate about how schools should educate children about gender and race.

Republican lawmakers in America say that they would like to stop schools from encouraging ideologies considered inappropriate for young people. Democrats claim policies such as the Florida one are hateful and discriminatory against minorities, especially the lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgender, and transgender community.

Florida law prohibits public school instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity from children aged 5 to 9. The Florida measure also bans teaching in public schools on sexual orientation or gender identity for children aged 5 to 9. Schools can be sued by parents if they are in breach.

The bill was passed unanimously by the state House. It will now need to be signed by Governor Ron DeSantis before it becomes law. DeSantis was a Republican and seemed to indicate his support of the bill, officially called “Parental Right in Education” upon being questioned on Monday.

“We will make sure parents are able send their kids to kindergarten without this stuff in their school curriculum,” said he.

Florida high school students staged a walkout to protest last week’s education bill. Video footage uploaded to Twitter (NYSE 🙂 shows some holding signs and shouting “We Say Gay!””.

On Monday, Democrat Shevrin (the first openly homosexual Florida state senator) pleaded with his peers to limit the bill’s language so that it does not “intentionally change a student’s gender orientation or gender identity.”

Jones asked Jones to “open up your heart just a bit” after he mentioned the shun and name calling he experienced as a gay man. Do no harm.

Jones’ amendment proposal was rejected.

Kelli Stargel (Republican state senator) defended this measure at Monday’s legislative sessions.

This bill does not intend to harm students. Stargel clarified that this bill does not intend to make gay children out. “This bill will strengthen the family unit… This bill says that we are making parents part of this conversation.”