Parents and LGBTQ advocates spoke out against a bill in the Ohio General Assembly this week that would require educators to disclose students' sexuality to parents and notify parents about what constitutes “sexuality.” .
“Forcing children to withdraw from school, regardless of their family circumstances, would be a disservice to LGBTQ children,” Maria Bruno, public policy director for Equality Ohio, told the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. “It would lead to unconscionable brutality.”
House Bill 8, known as the “Parental Bill of Rights,” would require public schools to notify parents about sexually explicit materials, give parents an opportunity to review the material, and provide alternative instruction to parents. It obligates them to give them the option to do so.
State Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) said, “From a religious freedom standpoint, that makes sense because parents may want their children to be taught a certain way.'' It seems like there is,” he said.
State Reps. DJ Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sarah Carruthers (R-Hamilton) introduced the bill, which passed in the House last summer.
An amendment added to the bill in committee Tuesday would prohibit teaching sexual content to students in kindergarten through third grade.
HB 8 defines sexuality content as “oral or written instructions, presentations, images, or explanations of sexual concepts or gender ideologies.”
However, many opponents pointed out that the bill's text does not define gender ideology.
“Last time in this hearing, I asked you if you could define gender ideology, and you didn't do that,” said Gene Ogden, executive director of Trans Allies Ohio. said. “So I'm very concerned about the vagueness of gender ideology.”
State Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) asked Bruno how he could improve the bill.
“References to LGBTQ identities are considered sexually explicit content, and I think there are ways to more clearly define sexually explicit content to avoid situations like that,” Bruno said. Told.
HB 8 would also require educators to notify parents of “a student's request to identify with a gender that does not match the student's biological sex.”
Mallory Gorsky, manager of civic engagement and advocacy at Kaleidoscope Youth Center, said, “If a student requests to identify a gender that does not correspond to their biological sex, the school may refer the student to a parent. This will be clearly required.”
She said students are exercising autonomy in choosing who they feel comfortable coming out to.
“Everyone, including young people, has the right to their privacy,” she said.
Opponents say HB 8 could prevent students from discussing gender identity, sexual orientation and different family structures in the classroom.
“This not only ostracizes students who are openly homosexual or gender-diverse, or who come from family systems that deviate from cisgender or heterosexual norms, but also those who question their own gender or sexuality. “It does not allow students who may be in a position to feel represented in society to see themselves represented in society.” Materials and discussions are prohibited in the classroom unless approved by the parents of their classmates. said Liam Strausbaugh, a staff member with the Ohio branch of the National Association of Social Workers.
Some opponents fear the bill could have a chilling effect on classrooms.
“When kids talk about their families, it’s not supposed to be talked about, so how do kids with queer parents talk about family?” Dara Adkison, TransOhio Board Secretary asked this.
Gorski There are concerns that this will cause certain books to disappear from school shelves.
“When we censor certain stories from our classrooms and libraries, we are not only denying some children the opportunity to see their lives and experiences reflected back to them.” she said. “We are denying people who do not share the same experiences an important opportunity to develop empathy and understanding for others.”
Proponent's testimony
Troy McIntosh, executive director of the Ohio Christian Education Network, was the only advocate to testify publicly at Tuesday's meeting.
“In a free society, where parents are the primary providers of children, they should have the fundamental right to make decisions regarding the upbringing, care and education of their children,” he said.
macintoshHe doesn't think HB 8 will harm Ohio State students.
“It simply requires schools to notify parents before discussing sexual content at school,” he said. “Even in a broken world where some children do not receive the benefits in life that they deserve from their biological parents, this principle remains in the best interests of all children.”
Opponents of this bill have significantly increased their testimony in committees in both the House and Senate. At Tuesday's meeting, 26 people presented testimony in opposition and three in support.
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