Parents should stand with Mr. Bernaert and all other LGBTQ+ teachers and educational professionals
By Heather Brooks
If you’ve ever interacted with a 5-year-old, you know that they’re naturally curious. When my children were 5, all I did was answer questions: “Mommy, why this?” “Why that?”
They are talkative and inquisitive — about the world around them, and about the people they interact with every day. They spend a significant percentage of their time with their teachers once they hit school age, and I always want my kids — now third and sixth graders — to feel like they can ask their teachers anything. Having been a “room mom” from pre-K through 4th grade and active in the PTA at both the school and county levels, I have seen how having that rapport with teachers encourages students to participate more in the classroom and provides parents with an essential source of information about their child’s personal and educational development that just doesn’t come from test scores.
That’s why it broke my heart to hear Cory Bernaert, a kindergarten teacher here in Florida, bravely speak out about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law and how scared he is about talking to his students. He explained that when a student asks him what he did over the weekend, he’ll no longer be able to say he went paddleboarding with his partner — because he’d have to explain what “partner” means. This law also means students like my sixth grader, who identifies as LGBTQIA+, will begin learning from an early age that they should somehow be ashamed of who they are. It is extremely difficult in Florida for young LGBTQIA+ students and their families to find organized support, and having teachers and staff who reflect the amazing variety of backgrounds within the community is so important.
Mr. Bernaert said the law “truly makes me feel like I am not trusted as a professional.” Nobody should feel that way, particularly the hardworking teachers we rely on so much. I think we would all agree that COVID-19 demonstrated that schools are so much more than test scores; they’re also important social interaction centers. Our teachers are highly qualified professionals who are integral to that interaction.
In signing this bill, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republicans in the Florida Legislature are teaching kids that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community is somehow shameful and an issue to be sidestepped — or worse, something to be outright lied about. It’s unacceptable.
Parents everywhere should stand with Mr. Bernaert and other LGBTQ+ teachers in Florida to oppose this discriminatory policy. At a time when we are seeing a record number of teachers leaving for other career paths because of burnout, we cannot afford to lose good, caring, committed teachers like Mr. Bernaert; our schools are already dealing with teachers running for the exits due to a lack of appreciation for the profession, an increase in class sizes and workloads, and wages that are not keeping up with the cost of living.
As a parent, it seems like our politicians would rather police language and raid library shelves than invest in our public schools and education system. This is particularly troubling after the challenging two years we’ve faced as a result of the pandemic. We should instead be working to ensure that classrooms have the supplies they need, that facilities are mold-free and up to date on their maintenance, that schools have the mental health professionals they require, and that teachers have the support they deserve as they valiantly strive to get kids back on track.
I’m sad for our state. We must find a better path, or our kids, teachers, fellow parents and communities will be worse off because of these hurtful, harmful laws.
The bottom line: Our politicians should be focusing on the issues that matter to our kids, not spending their time bullying hardworking teachers like Mr. Bernaert. I hope fellow parents will join me in signing this petition to support Mr. Bernaert and teachers like him as they do the important work of educating, supporting and helping our kids.
Heather Brooks is a mom of two in Broward County, Fla. She is active in the PTA, and her husband is a law enforcement officer.
You can learn more about Cory Bernaert and take action with us here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-lgbtq-teachers?source=direct_link&referrer=group-aft-main-e-activist-group
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