The governing board behind Florida’s state university system is considering new rules that would penalize faculty members who use school bathrooms that do not reflect their biological sex.
The Florida Board of Governors, the group that oversees the Florida State University System, proposed the policy Wednesday, to comply with Florida law regarding restroom use in state facilities.
The state law, also known as HB 1521, “provides a requirement for exclusive use of restrooms & changing facilities by gender” and “prohibits knowingly entering restrooms or changing facilities designated for the opposite sex & refusing to leave when requested to do so.”
It further requires public entities such as schools to “establish disciplinary procedures or policies” for violating the law.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., signed HB 1521 into law in May, which requires students and staff to use the bathroom that matches their biological sex.
The Florida Board of Governors’ proposed text says, “Each State university shall fully comply” with HB 1521, in which they will have “restrooms designated for the exclusive use of women and restrooms designated for the exclusive use of men;” or “Unisex toilets.”
The governing board behind Florida’s state university system is considering new rules that would penalize faculty members who use school bathrooms that do not reflect their biological sex.Christopher Sadowski
The board added that university employees who violate state law will be “subject to their university’s disciplinary procedures, which must include disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.”
According to Action News Jax, only one board member raised objections to the proposal when it was introduced Wednesday, citing concerns about disruption.
Carlos Guillermo Smith, a member of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Florida, blasted the proposal to the Jacksonville outlet, saying it “basically tells [LGBTQ+ faculty] they cannot use the toilet while they are working.”
The state law, also known as HB 1521, “prohibits knowingly entering restrooms or changing facilities designated for the opposite sex & refusing to exit when asked to do so.” Getty Images/fStop
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., signed HB 1521 into law in May, which requires students and staff to use the bathroom that matches their biological sex. Getty Images
The board is expected to vote on regulations for the university system at a meeting in November.
The rule is similar to one adopted by the Florida Board of Education for the state’s college system, but it goes further and declares that “a second documented offense must result in the termination” of the offending faculty member.
State Rep. Dean Black, R-Yulee, who co-sponsored HB 1521, endorsed the law recently, saying, “It’s not clear to me why someone would be confused in the first place, but if it becomes a pattern of behavior, which is an offense second obviously, yes, i think you should be fired. I think there should be zero tolerance for failure to respect women’s privacy.”
The Board of Governors did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/