(TheConservativeTimes.org) – A bill in Alabama is putting more restrictions on the topic of “gender identity and sexual orientation” in education as the legislature has passed laws to regulate this conversation in public schools.
The current law states that classes that are from Kindergarten to fifth grade “shall not engage in classroom discussion or provide classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
The bill that would follow this one would expand to include all the grades up to eighth and it would prohibit flags that symbolize sexuality and gender identities in school.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “gender identities” are defined as “an individual’s sense of their self as man, woman, transgender, or something else.” “Sexual orientation” is defined as “a person’s sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction.”
State Representative Mack Butler said that the bill “seeks to purify the schools.” Said Butlet, “It is a component of Marxism where we’re — you know — destroying the family and teaching some of these things.” He continued, “Let it happen somewhere else other than our schools.”
Critics have pushed back on the bill saying that this could restrict conversation about sexuality whether it’s LGBTQ or not. They have also said that suppresses the teacher’s and student’s First Amendment Rights.
Alabama’s ACLU said in reference to the bill, “If HB130 passes, it will rid classrooms and students in the state of Alabama of inclusive discussion that is essential at all stages of life.”
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