Statement by Commissioner Nikki Fried on Latest Actions by DeSantis Administration Harmful to Florida’s Students, LGBTQ Community

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried issued the following statement in response to the news that Governor Ron DeSantis’ Florida Department of Education has removed from its website its anti-bullying portal, including resources for LGBTQ students:

“This is yet another example of Governor DeSantis ignoring and erasing the needs of the LGBTQ community in our state,” Commissioner Fried said. “LGBTQ students experience higher rates of bullying and suicide, and as a result it is crucial that state leaders do everything in our power to advocate for these students and provide them with these important resources to foster a safe learning environment for all. This is a dangerous move by the DeSantis Administration and unfortunately continues the Governor’s troubling trend of undermining policies intended to keep Florida students safe.”

“Given the amount of time that LGBTQ children spend in school, our schools provide critical resources to support students’ mental and physical well-being as well as academic success. Removing these resources from government websites creates an information void not only for the tens of thousands of LGBTQ students and their families in our state, but also for our school districts and all Floridians invested in the success and resiliency of all our students,” said Nathan Bruemmer, LGBTQ Consumer Advocate at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Governor DeSantis has been widely criticized for a number of actions that have harmed the LGBTQ community, including vetoing funding for mental health resources for survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting and banning transgender girls from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

An archive of the deleted Department of Education resources can be viewed here.

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