The Orlando Sentinel recently reported that 156 private Florida schools (all of them Christian) that receive public scholarship funding also discriminate against LGBTQ students and their families.
The Sentinel found 83 schools that refuse to admit LGBTQ students or could expel them if their sexual orientation or gender identity were discovered. Some also refuse to educate students whose parents are gay or to hire staff who are gay.
Another 73 schools call being gay or transgender a biblical sin but do not explain how those views play out in admissions or student discipline decisions.
Following the article, state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) tweeted to companies who continue to donate to the voucher program and tagged Fifth Third Bank in the tweet. Fifth Third Bank responded saying, “Thanks Rep. Smith for your feedback. We definitely stand with #LGBTQ students and parents. We have communicated with program officials that we will not be contributing again until more inclusive policies have been adopted by all participating schools to protect the sexual orientation of all our students. (And, we will see you at the next @OrlandoPride!).”
(Part 1) Thanks Rep. Smith for your feedback. We definitely stand with #LGBTQ students and parents. We have communicated with program officials that we will not be contributing again …
— Fifth Third Bank (@FifthThird) January 28, 2020
“These schools are literally poisoning children’s minds against LGBTQ people, and they are funded by taxpayers,” Smith later told Florida Politics. “It’s wrong.”