Indiana Legislation Protects Children and Parental Rights in Education
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed legislation protecting children in prekindergarten through grade three from any instruction on human sexuality. House Bill 1608 also requires schools to notify parents when their child requests a change in name or pronouns. The school must notify the parents within five business days.
The Indiana Legislature passed the bill with wide margins, the Senate voting 37 to 12 and the House voting 63 to 29 in favor of protecting parental rights in education.
LGBT activists and their allies creatively decried the measure as “forced outing” of children who are confused about their sexual identity. The ACLU of Indiana opposed the measure, saying:
This bill would also force teachers to out students who request to be referred to by a different name or pronoun, by sending a note home to parents. These types of forced outing bills expose youth to the threat of additional violence at school and at home.
The bill says nothing about “exposing youth” at school, and it leaves in place all child protection laws.
The ACLU of Indiana also said that HB 1608 “would chill discussions around sexual orientation and gender identity in grades Pre K-3.”
Which brings up an important point: Why are leftist groups like the ACLU so eager for teachers to talk to young children about human sexuality, including “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”?
The ACLU added:
LGBTQ students exist at all ages and in all grade levels. This bill sends a dangerous message to these already vulnerable youth that they and their stories are worth less than their peers.
This, of course, is patently false, and children should not be instructed in gender ideology. The ACLU is forcing adult sexuality on children.
That is the real violence being perpetrated.
Four- and five-year-old children are not “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.” They are simply girls or boys who should be gently guided toward accepting and growing into their innate femininity or masculinity.
In a statement supporting HB 1608, the governor stated:
I believe in parental rights. I also just believe it’s common sense that sex education should not be taught in prekindergarten through third grade.
The governor also signed House Bill 1447, which says that Indiana schools may not make available library materials that have “obscene matter” or are “harmful to minors.” The bill requires schools to “prepare a catalogue of materials available in the school library,” which must be posted on a website and a hard copy made available to parents and concerned citizens.
This gives parents and community members a chance to review all the materials in their local school library.
Schools must put into place procedures for parents of community members “to submit a request to remove material from the school library that is obscene … or harmful to minors,” and the school must have procedures in place to respond to requests and to appeal a school’s decision.
Indiana is passing sensible measures to protect children and families. Earlier this year, the governor signed legislation protecting children from damaging “transgender” procedures, like puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.
The Daily Citizen applauds the state, along with the Indiana Family Institute, for protecting parental rights in education and safeguarding children.
Find out more about the Indiana Family Institute, which works to protect life, religious liberty and parental rights.
Related articles and resources:
Contact Your State Policy Group
Is it Ever Right to Use Personal Gender Pronouns?
Sex Educators Say ‘Early Grades May Be the Best Time’ to Introduce Children to LGBT Issues
Three More States Protect Children From Damaging ‘Transgender’ Medical Procedures!
Twelve States Introduce Bills to Affirm Parental Rights
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Johnston is a culture and policy analyst for Focus on the Family and a staff writer for the Daily Citizen. He researches, writes and teaches about topics of concern to families such as parental rights, religious freedom, LGBT issues, education and free speech. Johnston has been interviewed by CBS Sunday Morning, The New York Times, Associated Press News, The Christian Post, Rolling Stone and Vice, and is a frequent guest on radio and television outlets. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from San Diego State University with a Bachelors in English and a Teaching Credential. He and his wife have been married 30 years and have three grown sons.
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