Selective parental rights
If you haven’t figured it out by now, Florida’s brand of parental rights is selective. If you agree with the folks in Tallahassee, then you can raise your kid as you see fit. If you disagree, don’t hold your breath waiting.
Think back to that 2023 Florida law that banned children from attending drag shows. The Legislature made the decision for every parent, including those who saw nothing wrong in taking Junior to lunch at Hamburger Mary’s. (Enforcement of the law has been blocked in court.) Parental rights were conveniently kicked to the curb.
The social media ban may be the biggest infringment of parental liberty to date. Yet HB 1 sailed through the House last week with bipartisan support. It still must be approved by the Senate. A pivotal hearing on the Senate bill (SB 1788) passed its first committee hearing Monday in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In the meantime, Gov. Ron DeSantis — who recently called social media “a net negative for our youth, without question” — has expressed legal concerns about the bill.
It will need to “evolve,” he said, adding that he wants to “empower parents.”
DeSantis may be talking about empowering parents now, but he’s had no issue with ignoring parental rights on multiple other issues.
There are legitimate reasons to protect kids from social media. But, besides being potentially unconstitutional, HB 1 exposes the Legislature’s inconsistent flip-flopping on parental rights
As kids today might say, this whole thing is sus. Parents’ rights are not political footballs and Florida lawmakers should not play with them in the House. Or the Senate.
This editorial was adapted from an editorial by the Miami Herald. The The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@ orlandosentinel.com.