Today the Louisiana state house passed HB466, a “Don’t Say Gay” copycat that is even more draconian and antiquated than the Florida original.
A few provisions I want to call out.
“No teacher, school employee, or other presenter at a school shall engage in the following: (c) Discussing his own sexual orientation or gender identity
This is the “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell” portion of the legislation. The state of Louisiana is mandating that gay teachers be closeted full stop. Something straight out of the 1970s Anita Bryant playbook.
I think it is of note that as this bill is written a female teacher describing what its like being a woman in the workplace would trigger a violation as would a teacher discussing their heterosexual spouse, but as we know these are not the teachers being targeted (though maybe a creative lawsuit could suss this out).
In the meantime the bill will simply be used to silence and dehumanize gay and trans teachers who can no longer put a picture of their family on their desk of mention their life experience in the context of a normal classroom discussion
“No teacher, school employee, or other presenter at a school shall engage in the following: (a) Covering the topics of sexual orientation or gender identity in any classroom discussion or instruction
This actually reverts to the original language in the Florida bill that was amendment to scrap the matter of “discussion” in favor of only criminalizing “instruction.”
A ban on “discussion” of sexual orientation in classroom discussion means not only that teachers can’t bring it up but that they can’t answer or address issues raised by students. All the way until 12th grade (!!)
This is absolute madness. Last week my husband and I brought our daughter into her new classroom. Inevitably this raised questions among some of her precocious new classmates. Simple things like “does Toulouse have two dads?” “where’s her mom” etc..
Thanks god, our child goes to a school where the teachers are allowed to field those questions in simple, factual, and age-appropriate manners.
The idea that my child’s teacher would be banned from doing that or that they might get in trouble for giving an assignment where my daughter would explain her family structure is absolutely enraging. For professional victims who pretend they are being silenced to pass this state-mandated silencing on children and LGBT+ public servants is the height of hypocrisy and downright despicable.
I feel grateful that we have the privilege to choose a school for our child that protects her from this state-ordered discrimination but her peers in public school - particularly in public schools in the reddest parts of our new state - will not be as lucky.
Full text of this shameful bill here. legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?b=HB466
If you are in Louisiana you can call your state senator to speak out.