Florida Parents Fleeing Florida Over 'Don't Say Gay' Law

Florida's politics are driving the parents of its future generation out of town. As reported by Education Week, a new survey has found that the state's "Don't Say Gay" law is a having a negative impact on how parents view the state.

According to a report released this week by the Williams Institute at the University of Southern California and Clark University, more than 40% of Florida parents who responded to a survey said they want to move out because of its restrictions.

"The report is based on an online survey conducted between March 22 and March 24, 2023, of more than 100 parents with diverse backgrounds and political affiliations," Education Week reports.

In 2022, there were around 2.8 million K-12 students in almost 70 districts across the state in Florida. According to Abbie Goldberg, author of the study, a psychology professor at Clark University, and visiting scholar at the Williams Institute, Florida's divisive "Don't Say Gay Law" has left some parents feeling like LGBTQ+ identities are being targeted, preventing all children from receiving an education they need.

"It's the accumulative effect and the overall sociopolitical climate that is creating this urgency to move," Goldberg said, explaining that families will have different views than the children who are attending school together. "There are clearly families with very different views with children who are attending school together," Goldberg said.

"I really would urge all families to have sensitivity towards the fact that there are kids in classrooms who are more vulnerable ... who feel like their own identities are implicitly being devalued or rendered invisible," she said.

Head over to Education Week for the full story.