JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Teachers across Florida will need to stick to some strict new rules if they want to stay in the classroom.
The State Board of Education recently voted to align its policies with the recently passed the Parental Rights in Education Law, known by critics as the "Don't Say Gay' law.
"I think a lot of people have been confused about what the extent of the law is," said Jacksonville Coalition for Equality Chair Dan Merkan.
Merkan has watched as school districts have rolled back LGBTQ+ initiatives after the state legislature passed the Parental Rights in Education Law.
"Things like LGBT guidance," said Merkan. "They've taken the safe space stickers off the walls."
Merkan believes that was an overreach as districts waited to see what the law would mean for their classrooms.
The state board of education tried to provide an answer this week by updating its policies.
One of those policies says teachers for grades kindergarten to third cannot intentionally include topics such as sexual orientation or gender identity in their lesson plans.
Merkan says including the word "intentionally" makes a key difference.
"You have a student that brings up that they have two moms as part of a family exercise, that's perfectly allowed," said Merkan. "It doesn't prevent a teacher from having a picture of their partner on their desk."
However, Jennifer Cowart, with the group Public School Defenders, is still worried the new guidance leaves a lot up to interpretation.
"If I was a teacher, I'd be very nervous about anything coming out in a classroom that could be construed in this, whether it was my intention to teach anything on this topic or not," said Cowart.
Cowart is hoping the Duval County school district can provide very specific training, so teachers are aware of what the new policy means for their classroom.
"If I'm a teacher, I really want to know what I can and can't do, even unintentionally, that may have violated state law," said Cowart.
Educators who violate state law can have their teaching certificate suspended or revoked.
That could not only put their jobs at risk but their careers as a whole.
The state board also passed a series of other policies on topics like gender-assigned bathrooms, reading lists and threat assessments.