The Sarasota School Board voted 4-1 to reject the federal government's new Title IX guidelines, which protect students from discrimination based on gender identity. Bridget Ziegler of Moms for Liberty brought the resolution, which could result in the loss of $107M in federal funds.
SARASOTA—The Sarasota School Board last night voted 4-1 in favor of a resolution rejecting the federal government's new Title IX guidelines. The resolution was brought to the floor by embattled School Board Member and Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler.
Tom Edwards was the lone Board Member to vote against Ziegler's resolution.
Under the new federal Title IX guidelines, which will take effect Aug. 1, there will be protections from discrimination based on gender identity for the first time and harassment protections for pregnant people and student parents.
Bridget Ziegler's resolution states that sex is "defined as biological male or biological female (only two sexes); is an immutable characteristic that cannot be changed, fluid, or altered."
Ziegler's resolution threatens an estimated $107 million annually in federal funds for some of Sarasota's most vulnerable students.
"This resolution is the latest attack on Florida's LGBTQ+ community," said Daniel Kuether, chairman of the Sarasota Democratic Party. "It is disappointing, to say the least, that the Republicans on the Board chose to proceed with these extremist actions."
The Sarasota School Board vote follows Gov. Ron DeSantis's public statement that Florida would not comply with the new federal rules.
In addition, Florida Education Chairman Manny Diaz recently issued a statement decrying the Title IX changes and directing Florida schools to reject them. Diaz publicly stated that he believed the Title IX changes would violate Florida's Parental Rights Education Act, also known as the Don't Say Gay law.
Kuether cites other extreme actions by 'moderate' Republicans in Sarasota County, including the County Commission's decision to terminate support for the United Way and end the county library system's membership in the American Library Association (ALA). Or the Hospital Board's excursion in anti-vaccination and anti-science conspiracy theories while making threats to privatize Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
"The vote this week signals Sarasota Republicans continue to engage in political theater rather than ensuring our students receive the best education possible," said Kuether. "Eventually, Floridians will grow weary of the culture wars that have resulted in book bans and revisionist history lessons and elect new leaders for our School Board."
Kuether points to the upcoming School Board election. "This fall, Sarasota County residents will have an opportunity to re-elect Tom Edwards and elect Liz Barker to the Sarasota School Board," said Kuether. "Both will help the Board re-focus on educational issues rather than engage in political grandstanding."
The Sarasota School Board has five members, each serving four-year terms. All registered voters can vote in School Board elections in August.
The Sarasota County Democratic Party (SCDP) is the local committee of the Florida Democratic Party. The mission of the SCDP is to encourage the fullest participation by all voters who believe in true freedom and fairness in our society. We stand up for justice, equality, and opportunity for our citizens and support qualified candidates who will promote these goals.
Learn more at www.sarasotadems.org. Contact Information: daniel.kuether@sarasotadems.org 941-330-9400
