Florida Department of Education removes anti-bullying page and LGBTQ+ links from website

Advocacy groups are criticizing the Florida Department of Education for removing an anti-bullying webpage from its site, saying the decision will harm LGBTQ students. A spokesperson for the state education department announced on Wednesday, that they removed the portal because it contained links to federal sites that in the past, providedhelpful guidance, information as well as other options that now are being misused as platforms for advocacy.

The Southern Poverty Law Center says these resources were a lifeline for students who identify as LGBTQ+, providing hope that Florida schools can remain a safe space. Until this fall, the page instructed educators to protect children’s privacy, guidance that could run afoul of the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

Earlier this year, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill barring transgender girls and women from playing on public school teams intended for student athletes identified as girls at birth. The removal of the webpage also comes as Florida and the U.S. Department of Education have been feuding over the state’s decision to penalize school boards over mask mandates.