The woke mob has been trying to force their radical agenda on Florida’s children for years.
But Governor Ron DeSantis wasn’t about to let that happen on his watch.
And Ron DeSantis just delivered one substantial victory that left transgender activists in a state of panic.
Federal appeals court backs Florida’s common-sense pronoun law
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a major victory for parental rights and common sense this week.
In a 2-1 decision, the federal appeals court ruled that Florida can legally require teachers to use pronouns that align with their biological sex when addressing students in the classroom.¹
The ruling overturned a lower court’s preliminary injunction that had blocked enforcement of Florida’s 2023 law against high school algebra teacher Katie Wood, a biological male who demands to be called “Ms. Wood” in front of children.
U.S. Circuit Judge Kevin Newsom wrote the majority opinion, joined by Judge Andrew Brasher, both appointed by President Donald Trump.
The court made it crystal clear that when teachers speak in the classroom, they’re acting as government employees, not private citizens exercising free speech.
“When a public-school teacher addresses her students within the four walls of a classroom — whether orally or in writing — she is unquestionably acting ‘pursuant to [her] official duties,’” Newsom wrote.²
This isn’t about silencing anyone’s personal beliefs.
It’s about protecting children from radical gender ideology being pushed by activist teachers who want to confuse kids about basic biological reality.
Wood sued Florida after being told to stop confusing students
Katie Wood, who legally changed documents to reflect a female identity, had been referring to himself as “Ms. Wood” for four years before Florida passed House Bill 1069 in 2023.³
The law specifically states that “an employee or contractor of a public K-12 educational institution may not provide to a student his or her preferred personal title or pronouns if such preferred personal title or pronouns do not correspond to his or her sex.”⁴
Violations can result in termination and even suspension or revocation of teaching certificates.
When the law took effect, Wood’s principal told him he could no longer use the “Miss” title when interacting with students.
Instead of respecting Florida’s authority to protect children, Wood decided to sue the state.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, a Barack Obama appointee, initially sided with Wood and issued a preliminary injunction blocking the law’s enforcement.
Walker wrote that the state “declares that it has the absolute authority to redefine your identity if you choose to teach in a public school,” describing this as a First Amendment violation.⁵
But the appeals court saw right through this twisted logic.
Appeals court recognizes Florida’s right to protect children
The Trump-appointed judges on the appeals panel understood what’s really at stake here.
This isn’t about “redefining identity” — it’s about preventing activist teachers from pushing gender confusion on impressionable children.
Judge Newsom’s majority opinion made it clear that teachers don’t have unlimited free speech rights when they’re on the job.
“Wood cannot show, with respect to the expression at issue here, that she was speaking as a private citizen rather than a government employee,” the court ruled.⁶
The decision noted that the ruling is narrow and doesn’t affect what teachers can say in faculty lounges or after students leave for the day.
But when children are present, Florida has every right to ensure teachers aren’t promoting radical gender ideology.
Jordan wrote in his dissent that the “majority’s expansive application of the government speech doctrine essentially leaves the First Amendment on the wrong side of the schoolhouse gate.”⁷
Jordan’s dissent reveals exactly what’s wrong with the radical Left’s approach to education.
They think activist teachers should have the right to confuse children about their gender, regardless of what parents want or what’s best for kids.
DeSantis continues winning the culture war
This victory is just the latest example of Governor DeSantis’s successful fight against woke ideology in Florida’s schools.
The pronoun restrictions were part of a broader series of measures designed to protect children from radical gender theory.
Florida’s original “Don’t Say Gay” law — which actually says nothing about being gay — prohibited inappropriate sexual orientation and gender identity instruction in early grades.
The law was later expanded through high school in 2023, with a 2024 legal settlement clarifying that some age-appropriate discussions are still permitted.⁸
DeSantis has also championed legislation preventing minors from receiving dangerous puberty blockers and hormone therapy treatments.
These aren’t “anti-transgender” laws — they’re pro-child and pro-parent laws.
Florida recognizes that children shouldn’t be subjected to experimental medical treatments or gender confusion propaganda in their classrooms.
The appeals court’s decision validates DeSantis’s approach and sends a clear message to other states.
What this means for the future
This ruling could have implications far beyond Florida’s borders.
The 11th Circuit’s decision provides a roadmap for other states looking to protect children from radical gender ideology in schools.
The court’s reasoning — that teachers speak as government employees when addressing students — could apply to similar laws across the country.
More importantly, this decision shows that common sense can still prevail in our court system.
When Trump-appointed judges apply the law fairly, they recognize that protecting children comes before appeasing radical activists.
The transgender lobby won’t give up easily, and this case could eventually make its way to the Supreme Court.
But with a conservative majority on the high court, there’s reason to be optimistic that children’s welfare will continue to be prioritized over woke ideology.
Parents in Florida can rest easier knowing that their children won’t be subjected to gender confusion propaganda from activist teachers.
And Governor DeSantis continues to prove that strong conservative leadership can successfully push back against the radical Left’s assault on traditional values.
Sources:
- CBS News Service of Florida, “Federal judge backs Florida law requiring teachers to use pronouns aligning with sex assigned at birth,” July 2, 2025
- Ibid.
- The Advocate, “Appeals court rules transgender Florida teacher cannot use female pronouns in school,” July 4, 2025
- CBS News Service of Florida, op. cit.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- The Advocate, op. cit.
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Author: rgcory
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