CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — With just over one week until school starts in Charlotte County, the school board solidified new rules at Tuesday night's meeting that will comply with two new state laws.
The two laws leading to changes in all school districts are the “Stop The Wrongs to our Kids and Employees Act," which Governor Ron Desantis called the “Stop Woke Act," dealing with critical race theory.
The second law, "The Parental Rights in Education Law, or what critics call “Don’t Say Gay," focuses on topics including sexual orientation and gender identity.
In Charlotte County, the vote was unanimous that they needed to implement changes.
"We are going to be following the law in Charlotte County Public Schools and we’ve made it very simple for our parents and teachers to understand that."
Kim Amontree, Vice Chair of The Charlotte County School Board, referring to the bills signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that went into effect July first of this year, "The new legislation in both HB7, Individual Freedoms, HB 1467 and HB 1557, which are the parental rights bills."
Guidelines following the new laws are now implemented into the student progression plan for the 2022-2023 school year, the district will follow House Bill 7.
“Instruction may not utilize material from the 1619 project and may not define American history as something other than the creation of a new nation based largely on universal principles stated in the declaration of independence. instruction must include the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and subsequent amendments.”
The second law, the parental rights in education law, bans discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in grades kindergarten through third.
"The legislatures make the law, it’s our job to make sure that there are policies to enact those," Amontree said of the new laws implemented into the curriculum.
Amontree says if parents would like to see the course material or voice concerns about the materials they can go on the Charlotte County Public Schools website, here https://www.yourcharlotteschools.net/ and see what is being taught at their child's specific school.
