Some congressional Democrats and organizations, including the Miami-based nonprofit Moms4Libros, are speaking out against a law they say restricts important educational opportunities.

The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) directed school districts to remove certain lessons in sexual education, including contraception, showing pictures depicting reproductive anatomy or talk about topics like domestic violence and sexual consent, The Orlando Sentinel first reported.

Instead, schools are encouraged to follow a new standard and teach lessons that emphasize abstinence and provide information solely on heterosexual relationships.

In response, seven congressional Democrats, such as Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kathy Castor, signed a letter sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Commissioner of Education Manny Díaz Jr. and demanded the decision be reversed.

“Rather than offer proper instruction on how to protect students from sexually transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancies and sexual violence, your Administration promotes harmful, ignorant political ideologies that flout public health and fail to provide what parents want for their children,” the letter reads.

Díaz Jr. shared the letter on his X account and said the Democrats who signed the letter were ignoring the impacts of Hurricane Helene in Florida. He did not address any contents of the letter.

“Not a single signatory of this letter has contacted the Department to inquire about how kids are faring after the storm, how school re-openings are going or what they might do to help,” Díaz Jr. wrote in the post. “The message is clear: Democrats only care about your kids being in school if they can indoctrinate them.”

Moms4Libros replied to Díaz Jr.’s post, challenging his statements calling prior sex ed standards indoctrination.

“Sexual Health education is meant to protect children not only from abuse and to teach them what consent means so they are not raped, but also to make educated decisions about their sexual health,” the group wrote on X. “NOTHING about that is indoctrination.”

The letter also pointed out that parents already have the option to opt their children out of sex ed programs.

“Contrary to your claims, this law does not give parents more rights regarding their child’s education,” the letter reads. “Instead, it takes power from local educators and parents to decide the best education materials for their students, and instead hands it to Tallahassee political appointees averse to science, facts or public health data.”