A high school student in Florida is alleging that school administrators are preventing him from seeking student office after he was suspended for leading protests against the state's controversial Parental Rights in Education Act.
Jack Petocz, a 17-year-old self-described student activist, said Flagler Palm Coast High School administrators are barring him from running for class president. Petocz was suspended after distributing rainbow flags during a March 3 walkout against the"Don't Say Gay" bill, according to the activist.
My name is Jack Petocz. I am the high school junior who led walkouts in opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and was suspended for passing out pride flags. Now, I’m being prevented from running for senior class president. No matter what, I won’t stop fighting for my community. pic.twitter.com/5lG6EYIXo2The law, which was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, prohibits instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity for students in third grade and below. Now, the school is preventing him from seeking student office because of the disciplinary infractions he received, Petocz said. "My name is Jack Petocz. I am the high school junior who led walkouts in opposition to the 'Don’t Say Gay' bill and was suspended for passing out pride flags," Petocz said on Twitter. "Now, I'm being prevented from running for senior class president. No matter what, I won’t stop fighting for my community." Flagler County Schools is unable to discuss a student's disciplinary records, and eligibility for clubs or organizations are established by schools and clubs, respectively, district spokesman Jason Wheeler said. “The district has no say in setting those requirements or in how those requirements are enforced," according to Wheeler. Petocz is affiliated with Gen-Z for Change and has received support from March for Our Lives leader David Hogg, according to a report. The 17-year-old is also set to be honored by PEN America, a New York-based nonprofit organization, at the 2022 PEN America Literary Gala for his role in leading students against the controversial Florida legislation and criticism of books that are deemed inappropriate.“Jack Petocz is leading his generation in fighting back against book bans and legislative efforts to police how individual identities can be discussed in schools," PEN America said in a statement.
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Gay student says school stopping run for student leadershipA 17-year-old gay student who was suspended for leading protests at his high school against Florida's so-called Don't Say Gay legislation says school administrators are now stopping him from running for senior class president. Because of the disciplinary infractions he received for leading the protests at Flagler Palm Coast High School in March, school administrators are preventing him for running for the elected student body office, Jack Petocz said in a letter posted on Twitter on Tuesday. In an email, school district spokesman Jason Wheeler said Flagler Schools was not permitted to speak about individual students' disciplinary records.
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