Florida School District Prohibits Trans Teachers From Using Preferred Pronouns, Bathrooms

To comply with state law, a prominent Florida school district released advice prohibiting transgender personnel from using their preferred pronouns and forcing trans students and staff members to use group restrooms corresponding to their "biological sex at birth."

Orange County Public Schools, Florida's fourth-largest district, with around 209,000 students in 210 schools, issued new advice for the 2023-24 academic year on Monday.

The district's deputy general counsel wrote the memo in response to two recent Florida laws: House Bill 1069, which prohibits instruction about sex and human sexuality, and House Bill 1521, which requires using restrooms by gender. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed both legislation in May and went into effect on July 1.

Florida District Implements Restrictions On Trans Educators

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The instruction, issued to the district's superintendent, deputy superintendent, principals, and executive leaders, summarizes?the new regulations — and consequences — outlined in the measures.?

According to the memo, under House Bill 1069, students' or employees' sex is determined by birth sex — "the hormones and genitals present at birth" — rather than the gender they identify with.?

As a result, transgender workers or contractors "may not provide a personal title or pronoun to students which does not correspond [to] the employee's or contractor's biological sex at birth," according to the message.?

As per the memo, workers and contractors are also prohibited from asking students for their preferred personal title or pronoun.?

In the memo, John C. Palmerini, the school district's deputy general counsel, stated that educators concerned about using pronouns and "potential liability" can call on students by their first or last names, or their parents can submit forms to use nicknames.?

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The State Board of Education concluded that educators who breach the pronoun rule could face punishments up to the revocation of their teaching credentials under the legislation.?

Bathrooms, other than single-stall restrooms, must be separated by biological sex from birth, according to House Bill 1521. The "Safety in Private Spaces Act," as it is known, applies to penal institutions, jails, state-owned public buildings, and educational institutes.??

"Our transgender students and employees must be provided with single stall restrooms for their use," the policy stated. "Transgender students and employees are not permitted to use a group restroom designated for a gender other than their biological sex at birth."?

Changing rooms must likewise be separated by birth sex, according to the regulation. When changing classes such as physical education, transgender kids must be supplied with single-stall facilities or coaches' offices, according to the guidance.

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Punishment For Rule Break

A punishment is imposed on any student who "wilfully enters a bathroom or changing facility designated for the opposite sex if the student refuses to depart when asked to do so by any instructional personnel, administrator, or school resource officer."?

According to the memo, disciplinary referrals will be directed to the dean or the administrator in charge of discipline in such circumstances. With limited exceptions, employees who use restrooms other than those based on their birth sex face disciplinary action.?

"Principals/Site Administrators shall work with transgender employees to identify single-stall restrooms so that transgender employees may comply with Florida law," according to the memo. According to the instruction, if the school district and its employees do not follow the legislation, the state attorney general "is empowered to file a civil lawsuit to enforce this provision."??

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Wilful offences may result in fines of up to $10,000 for the district.The district published the advisory on Tuesday in response to "state legislative and rule changes around the Parents Bill of Rights since last school year, which have an impact on students, teachers, and staff."?

Orange County Public Schools is not just one of the largest in the state; it is also the seventh largest in the country, and it is one of the largest employers in Central Florida, with over 25,000 employees, according to the district's website.? ? ? ??

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