Fourth-Largest School District Refuses to Recognize ‘LGBTQ History Month’

On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade School Board, which represents the nation’s fourth-largest school district, voted against a measure that would have recognized October as “LGBTQ history month.” The vote follows an August 23 school board election in which Miami-Dade was flipped to a conservative majority.

The school board noted its concern that the recognition of “LGBTQ history month” could clash with the Parental Rights in Education Act, which was passed by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in March and took effect on July 1. The law prohibits teachers from leading classroom instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade.

The vote marks the first time in recent memory that one of the largest school districts in the country (at 357,000 students) has voted to decline the recognition of a “history month” dedicated to controversial sexual lifestyles that many see as an ideological movement that holds powerful sway over academic institutions, corporate America, entertainment, and even sports.

The vote also comes as Americans’ satisfaction with the U.S. education system reached its lowest point in two decades, with a newly released Gallup poll finding that just 42% of adults are “satisfied with U.S. education.” Almost one in four (23%) said they were “completely dissatisfied, while just 9% said they were “completely satisfied.” This follows a poll released in January that found Americans’ trust of teachers reaching an all-time low of 64%.

“Who better than the Cuban-American refugee community in Miami-Dade to reject political indoctrination through public schools,” Meg Kilgannon, senior fellow for Education Studies at Family Research Council, told The Washington Stand, noting that newly elected Miami-Dade school board members Roberto Alonso and Monica Colucci are the children of Cuban immigrants. “Many refugees are faithful Christians who instill traditional family values in their children. Many schools already recognize June as Pride month, so adding October as LGBT History Month is a bridge too far. There are plenty of American history topics to cover before obsessing over contemporary issues.”

“We look forward to seeing more stories like this one, when school board members demonstrate responsiveness to parents and defend parental rights and the innocence of children,” Kilgannon concluded.