Florida School Offers Yearbooks Omitting LGBTQ+ Content After Backlash

A Florida school district in Seminole County is offering parents a full refund on their children's yearbooks after controversy swirled regarding pages that included information on LGBTQ+ terms.

The pages include a list of definitions on words such as LGBTQ, sexual orientation and gender identity, according to a photo of the yearbook posted by WKMG in Orlando. A few quotes from interviews with queer students at the school are also included on the page, according to a report from NBC News affiliate WESH.

In response to receiving comments from parents and students who said they found the pages "inappropriate," Seminole County Public Schools Superintendent Serita Beamon sent a letter to Lyman High School parents announcing an option to receive a refund or reprinted version of the yearbook for those who opposed the year's edition.

"While this matter is being reviewed further at the district level, any student or parent who purchased a copy of the 2022-23 Lyman yearbook may choose to return it to the school for a full refund or request an exchange for a re-printed yearbook that omits the pages in question," read Beamon's letter, which was obtained by WKMG.

Parents at Lyman High such as Sharman Craft, whose son is a sophomore at the public school in Longwood, Florida, told Fox 35 that the pages in question are "not relevant to school activities" and that including LGBTQ+ terms and definitions is "not appropriate" for a high school publication.

The yearbook's editor-in-chief, however, told the outlet that pages were intended "to be more inclusive and more understanding and just gain that perspective."

"We didn't do anything wrong," Sarah Ward, yearbook editor-in-chief, told Fox 35 last week. "We covered a full and fair representation, which is what we're supposed to do. So I'm quite baffled and quite confused why this is a thing, but I'm going to defend our book because I'm proud of it."

According to Fox 35's report, a spokesperson from the Seminole County school district said that the yearbook was not in violation of the school board's policy. Newsweek has reached out to the Seminole County Public Schools communications team via email for further comment.

The yearbook team at Lyman High has sparked debate for two years in a row due to the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content. Last year, the annual book distribution was delayed while school district officials debated if the edition could include photos of a student-led protest in March 2022 over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Ultimately, the school decided to let the photos be printed while also including a disclaimer sticker next to the shots that the protest was not endorsed or sponsored by Seminole County. According to a report from WESH, students put up a fight with their local school board who had originally decided to cover up the photos.

School districts across the country have come under fire in recent years due to culture wars led by conservative politicians that argue LGBTQ+ and other inclusivity efforts in the classroom aim to "groom" students. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in particular has been extremely vocal about ending the "woke" movement in his state.

In April, the Florida Board of Education expanded the "Don't Say Gay" bill, officially known as the Parental Rights in Education act, to include a ban on schools teaching sexual orientation and gender identity through the 12th grade.

"The topics of gender identity and sexual orientation have no place in the classroom, unless required by law," Florida Department of Education director of communications Alex Lanfranconi previously told Newsweek. "Today's State Board action reaffirms Florida's commitment to uphold parental rights and keep indoctrination out of our schools."