"While working as a 35-year-old social studies teacher at Mankato West High School in 1999, Walz advised the school’s first gay-straight alliance (GSA) supporting LGBTQ+ students. On May 17, Gov. Walz signed legislation that stops libraries in the state from removing books “based solely on the viewpoint, content, message, idea, or opinion conveyed,” including LGBTQ+ themes. On the day of the law’s signing, Walz wrote, “Censorship has no place in our libraries,” Walz posted to X. “As a former teacher, I’m clear: We need to remember our history, not erase it.” While delivering his State of the State Address last April, Walz seemed to make a thinly veiled criticism of Florida’s “Don’t say gay” law banning classroom instruction on LGBTQ+ issues in schools. “Look, I’m only the governor of this great state. It’s not up to me how folks in places like Florida go about their business,” Walz said. “But I have to tell you, I’m pretty glad we do it our way and not their way. They’re banishing books from their schools. We’re banishing hunger from ours.”"