Florida state congressman introduces bill to ban Pride flags from campuses

A Florida state congressman, convinced students in the state are being “subliminally indoctrinated with critical race theory, Marxism and transgender ideology”, has introduced a law that seeks to ban Pride flags from school and college campuses.

Miami Republican David Borrero, an extremist who is simultaneously pushing a bill that would effectively ban all abortions in the state, also believes students are being “radicalized and evangelized” in Florida’s classrooms.

His proposed flag legislation – which advanced from a crucial rule of law subcommittee hearing on a 9-4 party line vote Wednesday – would outlaw any flag that depicts a “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint”. Teachers would also be prevented from wearing Pride or Black Lives Matter pins on their lapels if the legislation passes.

“Public classrooms should not be the place where our kids go to be radicalized and evangelized into accepting these partisan, radical ideologies,” Borrero said during the meeting of the constitutional rights, rule of law and government operations subcommittee.

“It’s wholly inappropriate to be putting those types of flags in front of public school students and in government buildings.”

Borrero’s bill would also prevent the flags at offices of state and local authorities, and public buildings throughout Florida.

Democrats pushed back against the proposal, the latest in a long line of attacks by Florida Republicans on LGBTQ+ rights. Other measures signed into law by hard-right governor Ron DeSantis in recent months include the so-called Don’t Say Gay law banning classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare, and the banning of books, even including