Speaking of book bands I think the idea that any Resident in a County can bring forth complaints Unlimited complaints There's no Bounds on what they can why they can say They're bad and immediately they're Going to be removed this ban first Review second is a terrible policy In addition to the fact that I as a Parent and anyone else who's testifying Or who's suggesting books don't belong In school libraries or classroom Libraries is not qualified to make that Decision like a school librarian or the Teacher of those students We talked about some books yesterday That were said oh they aren't banned for Example Roberta Roberto Clemente Biography but they were pulled from the Shelves and they will be pulled books Like that ban first review later and They were only put back because of Public pressure or public records Requests so we're going to have a Serious problem with that policy With respect to the pronoun part of this Bill I can't believe we're seriously here Debating pronouns Um we have so many major problems going On in this state and how if a teacher is Asked to call someone he or she because The parents and the child want that is
Not a problem and you know what that Teacher has to get over him or herself If it really is a problem the other Students have to get over themselves You could have a student come in who is Already gone through transition and Because a teacher doesn't appreciate What they've been through Refuses to call them by their name Senator book brought up some great Points about kids who are on IEPs this Is not an easy process these kids have Been through a lot and again it's just An attack on trans kids that's what all This is about and you know what If they're not allowed to get gender Affirming care in this state but they Choose to change their clothing to cut Their hair to go by a different name That's allowed and that Is the only thing they can do in this State because they will no longer be Allowed to get gender affirming care Once that bill passes so if they want For their own sanity to change their Clothes and be called a different Pronoun or change their name then we Should let them so that they can survive In this world because we know the Suicide rate for the trans Community is Sky High And we this is about protecting children Let's protect those children I'm not Worried about the boy next to her who's
Uncomfortable with it you know what That's too bad welcome to the world Everything is not easy peasy and you Have to learn to get along with people Who are different from you and open your Eyes And they shouldn't let their moral Outrage control How one individual needs to be referred To I know because I've heard from many People on the campaign Trail and Elsewhere what's up with these pronouns Why does everybody under their name or In Zoom say he she or she she hers or They it offends people Again get over yourselves this is The cultural change that is going on in The world and we cannot legislate Cultural change and we don't need to Protect our poor baby students from Somebody changing Their pronoun I have kids in college They are so comfortable with someone Being called to they With he or she with bisexuality with Non-binary people This is the world they live in and they Are trying to teach us old farts sitting Here trying to legislate Okay old fogies not you Senator Hooper Um trying to legislate Culture it's just not right
This is we cannot stop the change that Is occurring and it's so it's so not a Big deal it's a word it's a two-letter Word he it's a three-letter word she It's a four-letter word they And if somebody wants to sign their name That way that's okay but I had people Tell me you know when campaigning oh you Liberals with the pronouns and who cares Like there's so many bigger issues and I Can't believe we have a bill based on This and I can't believe we have a bill That's expanding as we call don't say Gay the 2.0 version You guys swore to us up and down I was Just for the babies it's K through three You guys are misinterpreting the bill It doesn't say gay anywhere well you Know what what happened after that bill Passed people took down rainbow stickers People stopped talking about they took Books down that were talking about Anything related to trans kids or Homosexuality and I think somebody Mentioned Why can't we teach our kids that these Things exist in the world what are you Protecting them from and I think as I Said yesterday if you are so afraid of This change and you're so afraid of People who are different from you then Go live on a commune somewhere and you Can homeschool your children But if you're in public school
You need to be with all the public and This is a fact of life and you can't Change it by telling people what Pronouns they can use Senator polski you Had mentioned related to a few different Topics but in particular about pronouns I go back to the example that I use that Senator Burgess brought up in committee When we had the bill I think at its First stop in pre-k 1’ and you mentioned That you specifically said just a few Moments ago those who disagree quote Just need to get over themselves I think that's very difficult to tell The student in Pasco County When that student had not been Introduced Obviously inside or outside the Classroom to the concept and then when The teacher asks each student what the Preferred pronoun was that student said What is that and didn't know what it was Now we're acutely aware of it there are Many who are acutely aware of that Particular sixth grader in Pasco County Was not aware and then as I mentioned Yesterday in response to questions not Only did other students in the classroom Than laugh and mock the student But the Teacher did too That is inappropriate It's inappropriate for the students but It is specially inappropriate for a Teacher to do that we can't we can't
Tell that student we can't tell we Shouldn't tell the other 1924-29 however many whatever the Whatever the total number is in the Class whose parents would not have had An opportunity to weigh in on that Discussion That they should just get over Themselves that that is not a response That we should tell them I don't know what we tell that student In Pasco County With with that kind of a response and That's and again that's related to you And I've had a lot of discussion Senator Polski I respect the fact that we differ I I have no issue with you I'm really Talking to the substance of what the Discussion was Um related to a couple of other topics It was also mentioned about respect you Know if someone wants to be called a Certain thing so We had some questions about that Yesterday what if a student or teacher Is transitioning the bill would force Them to use pronouns that make him make Them feel uncomfortable no one should be Disrespected and the bill is not giving Rise to someone being disrespected Because you can love and respect someone As another human being without agreeing With every choice they make or every View they have we we see that every day
In the Senate like I was just talking About part of going to school is Learning how to interact with others to Ultimately become a productive member of Society which requires daily Interactions with people with whom you May disagree The key point though is respect and Courtesy go both ways it's a two-way Street every student needs to be Respectful of other students and of Their teachers but also teachers and Students who May be transitioning Related to the point would likewise need To be respectful of the personal Convictions of others and when we say Conviction that that could be a moral or Religious conviction but it doesn't even Have to fall into one of those Categories it could just be a strong Belief or conviction it doesn't have to Be religious motivation as as some Suggestion was made And then with regard to Senator Berman I believe you mentioned And Senator polsky you touched on it too Some of the items that were removed in Classrooms this is stifling materials or Activities or things of that nature so Here's an example Of a concern this is from Cape Coral This was reported in the news last May Roughly one year ago this week last Spring a middle or last summer I guess
Right before the end of the school year A middle school art teacher in Cape Coral came out to her students as Pansexual and polyamorous encouraged her Students to come out to her and assigned Each student to create a flag to reflect The student's sexual identity This is inappropriate that is not Something appropriate for a public School classroom The State Board of Education adopts Standards and benchmarks for teaching Courses and for example these standards Govern the content of instruction for Reproductive health education we want Teachers to stay on topic and leave to Parents the decision to instruct on Sexual orientation and gender identity That was in a middle school classroom That is wholly inappropriate that's what We're talking about