TUPELO, Miss. — The American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) supports recent legislation introduced in Florida that makes it clear that parents, not school districts, are in charge of when and how grade school students learn about sensitive topics that have always been the responsibility of families, not government entities. The measure covers younger students from kindergarten through middle school.

The proposed legislation reads in part: “A school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” The bill is predicated on the Parents’ Bill of Rights passed by the Florida legislature in 2021. AFA believes the new proposal is a key firewall against onerous government encroachment of parental duties and responsibilities in raising their children.

“Tyranny arises in free societies in many forms and just because it arises slowly doesn’t make it any less dangerous,” said AFA Executive Vice President Ed Vitagliano. “Parents are currently facing just such a creeping authoritarianism in our nation, and sadly some of our school systems are the culprits. While it is clearly a minority of schools at this point, the danger is that, as the federal government tries to nationalize everything from healthcare to voting, the sickness of educational tyranny will spread. It is encouraging to see a state like Florida recognize the truth that parents are in charge of their children––and schools must honor that truth. Perhaps that realization will truly take root in our nation.”

For over 40 years, AFA has operated within the mission to inform, equip and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture and give aid to the church here and abroad in its task of fulfilling the Great Commission.  Founded in 1977, AFA has long been on the front lines of America’s culture war. Today, AFA is one of the largest and most effective pro-family organizations in the country, with nearly a million online supporters and approximately 110,000 subscribers to The Stand (formerly known as the AFA Journal), the ministry’s monthly magazine.  Find AFA Action Alerts here.  In addition, AFA owns and operates nearly 180 radio stations across the country under the American Family Radio banner. 

View the media page for AFA here. For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.       

###

To interview American Family Association Executive Vice President Ed Vitagliano or another AFA spokesperson, contact [email protected], Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.  