Representative Sandy Salmon introduced House File 2054, a bill that requires school districts to provide notification and information relating to any program, curriculum, material, test, survey, questionnaire, activity, announcement, promotion or instruction of any kind relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.
It also requires students be allowed to be excused from any of the above.
School districts that provide such instruction or material will be required to annually provide to a parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the district with information about the instruction or material used in the student’s grade level, the procedure for inspecting the instruction or materials prior to their use in the classroom, a list of all materials that will be used in conjunction with the instruction, copies of all materials that will be used in conjunction with the instruction or information related to how to access the materials as well as information related to how to access the materials and information regarding the procedure the parent or guardian must follow to request the student be excused from the instruction.
The bill also states nothing in it shall be construed as requiring a district to provide any activity, instruction or materials relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.
It does provide a loophole in that schools do not need to provide notice if a teacher is responding to a student’s question during a class related to sexual orientation or gender identity, a teacher discussing the sexual orientation or gender identity of any historical figure, member of a group, or public figure when such discussion provides necessary context to any topic of instruction; or any person employed by the school district referring to sexual orientation or gender identity when necessary to immediately address a specific instance of harassment or bullying.
