Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement on Monday that his office will begin "monitoring" Florida's new Parental Rights in Education bill, according to a press release.
"We will be monitoring this law upon implementation to evaluate whether it violates federal civil rights law," Cardona said.
The Florida bill prohibits teachers from instructing on the topics of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade in a manner that is not considered "age appropriate or developmentally appropriate" for children.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a statement connected to a news release after he signed the controversial legislation into law on Monday.
"Parents' rights have been increasingly under assault around the nation, but in Florida we stand up for the rights of parents and the fundamental role they play in the education of their children," DeSantis said. "Parents have every right to be informed about services offered to their child at school, and should be protected from schools using classroom instruction to sexualize their kids as young as 5 years old."
Cardona panned the legislation for allegedly targeting "Florida's most vulnerable students and families."
"Make no mistake: This is a part of a disturbing and dangerous trend across the country of legislation targeting LGBTQI+ students, educators, and individuals," the secretary said.
He also encouraged "any student who believes they are experiencing discrimination, including harassment, at school or any parent who is concerned that about their child experiencing discrimination" to "file a complaint" with the department's Office for Civil Rights.
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