Bi-Partison Support for FL. Safe Schools Bill...FL. Fair Adoption a Different Story
March 19 -- As reported from Equality Florida
Throughout last week, nearly 100 Equality Florida supporters and coalition members traveled from across Florida to lobby their lawmakers for Safes Schools and / or Fair Adoption laws.
The highlight of our week was when we learned that students had picked up the support of Governor Crist for an inclusive bill that specifically prohibits the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity.
More importantly, our issues continue to take center stage in hearings over the coming weeks and your continued involvement can help make Florida a more tolerant and accepting place for LGBT citizens.
Safe Schools Lobby Days - Students Gain Support of Governor
Nearly 50 students, parents, teachers and child advocates arrived in the Capitol on Monday and, over the course of two days, lobbied lawmakers as part of the Safe Schools Coalition's Annual Lobby Days. Students asked legislators to pass an anti-bullying bill that includes specific prohibitions against the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity / expression.
On Tuesday, our students got a vote of support from the highest level of government. Governor Crist stated his support for an inclusive bill that specifically prohibits the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity.
The anti-bullying bill, "Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up For All Students Act," is named for Cape Coral teenager who killed himself in 2005 after being bullied for years. Those taunts often included anti-gay insults and accusations. If passed, the law would define "bullying" and direct schools to set up clear rules for how to handle threatening behavior and provide training for teacher.
The bill currently defines "sexual, religious or racial harassment" as bullying, but makes no mention of the three most common forms of harassment in Florida schools.
Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director, testified at a House K-12 Education Committee hearing last Tuesday, and told lawmakers that, without an amendment, the bill would leave students unprotected. Nadine also had a chance to tell the committee about an awful incident that had just happened to three of our students who went to lobby Rep. Alan Hays (R- Umatilla).
According to Jess Osborn: "After telling him my story he proceeded to say he was repulsed by homosexuals and we needed extensive psychological treatment."
The actions of Rep. Hays, this verbal attack on students by a member of the Florida Legislature poignantly illustrates exactly why specific prohibitions of anti-gay harassment are needed. With bigoted leaders like Rep. Hays, we can't leave it to chance that LGBT students will be protected from harassment and violence in Florida's schools.
Adoption Lobby Days
Over two days, nearly 35 families, parents, social workers and other child advocates from across the state called on the Florida Legislature to pass a bill that would allow children to be adopted by gay foster parents. If passed, the legislation would also permit a gay individual to adopt a child if that person is named as the child's guardian and the biological parents of the child are deceased.
Florida is the only state with a statutory ban that prevents a child from being adopted by a person, no matter how well qualified, simply because the person is gay. The legislation, SB 1012 and HB 789, would allow a judge to determine whether such an adoption is in the best interests of the child.
Our focus now is getting the bills heard in committees, not an easy thing to do. There's a lot of resistance to even talking about changing the 30-year-old adoption ban and this is one place you can help.
We're working with and handful of lawmakers, such as Sen. Nan Rich and Rep. Brandenburg, who are willing to champion fair adoption laws. In the coming days and weeks, we will need
you, our E-Activists, to contact lawmakers and ask them to support fair adoption laws in Florida.
For all information related to this story please see:
www.EQFL.org
Throughout last week, nearly 100 Equality Florida supporters and coalition members traveled from across Florida to lobby their lawmakers for Safes Schools and / or Fair Adoption laws.
The highlight of our week was when we learned that students had picked up the support of Governor Crist for an inclusive bill that specifically prohibits the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity.
More importantly, our issues continue to take center stage in hearings over the coming weeks and your continued involvement can help make Florida a more tolerant and accepting place for LGBT citizens.
Safe Schools Lobby Days - Students Gain Support of Governor
Nearly 50 students, parents, teachers and child advocates arrived in the Capitol on Monday and, over the course of two days, lobbied lawmakers as part of the Safe Schools Coalition's Annual Lobby Days. Students asked legislators to pass an anti-bullying bill that includes specific prohibitions against the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity / expression.
On Tuesday, our students got a vote of support from the highest level of government. Governor Crist stated his support for an inclusive bill that specifically prohibits the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity.
The anti-bullying bill, "Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up For All Students Act," is named for Cape Coral teenager who killed himself in 2005 after being bullied for years. Those taunts often included anti-gay insults and accusations. If passed, the law would define "bullying" and direct schools to set up clear rules for how to handle threatening behavior and provide training for teacher.
The bill currently defines "sexual, religious or racial harassment" as bullying, but makes no mention of the three most common forms of harassment in Florida schools.
Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director, testified at a House K-12 Education Committee hearing last Tuesday, and told lawmakers that, without an amendment, the bill would leave students unprotected. Nadine also had a chance to tell the committee about an awful incident that had just happened to three of our students who went to lobby Rep. Alan Hays (R- Umatilla).
According to Jess Osborn: "After telling him my story he proceeded to say he was repulsed by homosexuals and we needed extensive psychological treatment."
The actions of Rep. Hays, this verbal attack on students by a member of the Florida Legislature poignantly illustrates exactly why specific prohibitions of anti-gay harassment are needed. With bigoted leaders like Rep. Hays, we can't leave it to chance that LGBT students will be protected from harassment and violence in Florida's schools.
Adoption Lobby Days
Over two days, nearly 35 families, parents, social workers and other child advocates from across the state called on the Florida Legislature to pass a bill that would allow children to be adopted by gay foster parents. If passed, the legislation would also permit a gay individual to adopt a child if that person is named as the child's guardian and the biological parents of the child are deceased.
Florida is the only state with a statutory ban that prevents a child from being adopted by a person, no matter how well qualified, simply because the person is gay. The legislation, SB 1012 and HB 789, would allow a judge to determine whether such an adoption is in the best interests of the child.
Our focus now is getting the bills heard in committees, not an easy thing to do. There's a lot of resistance to even talking about changing the 30-year-old adoption ban and this is one place you can help.
We're working with and handful of lawmakers, such as Sen. Nan Rich and Rep. Brandenburg, who are willing to champion fair adoption laws. In the coming days and weeks, we will need
you, our E-Activists, to contact lawmakers and ask them to support fair adoption laws in Florida.
For all information related to this story please see:
www.EQFL.org
