SARASOTA – The class president of Pine View School says he will be silenced during his graduation speech if he mention his activism in the LGBTQ+ community.
The first openly gay Class president in Pine View School history, Zander Moricz, is the youngest plaintiff in the ‘Don’t Say Gay” lawsuit against Governor DeSantis in the state of Florida.
The 18-year-old student has been told he would be silenced during his graduation speech if he references his activism in the LGBTQ community.
ZANDER MORICZ SPEAKING AT DSG RALLY ON FEBRUARY 27TH
“We need to say gay in our schools, not only for the sake of queer students, but for the sake of straight students who will become our future legislators because they cannot be as ignorant as the ones we have now,” said Zander Moricz at a “Don’t Say Gay” rally on February 27th.
Moricz, spoke out at a rally in Sarasota in February against House Bill 1557, dubbed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and rallied students in April to participate in the county’s largest protest in opposition of the piece of legislation.
Moricz, who is weeks away from graduation and attending Harvard, is gaining national attention for his predicament.
“I can tell you right now, knowing that young man, there not going to silence him for long, they may shut his mic off but he’s going to go out there and do it anyway and we are going to be there to support him,” said Vice President of Project Pride SRQ, Christopher Covelli.
Moricz has partnered with the Social Equity and Education initiative and Project Pride SRQ to create over 10,000 “Say Gay” stickers that will be shipped to high school senior across Florida.
“I think a young man like Zander is going to be a very strong leader one day, he is not going out there just saying gay, he is using an educated platform to educate people on the LGBTQ community and those who are trying to silence us, and we are not going to keep quiet anymore,” said Covelli.
SNN has reached out to Sarasota County Schools but has not yet received a statement.