Public weighs in on Alabama bill aimed at banning gender, sexuality discussions in all grades
A bill to restrict public K-12 classroom discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation drew sharp debate during a public hearing in the House Education Policy committee Wednesday.
House Bill 244, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Gadsden, would prohibit classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation from pre-K through twelfth grade. Butler said the measure aligns with a directive from President Donald Trump and aims to prevent what he called “the sexualization of children.”
The bill also prohibits the display of flags or symbols related to gender identity or sexual orientation on school property and bars teachers from using pronouns that differ from a student’s biological sex.
Opponents argued the bill would silence students and harm LGBTQ families.
“HB 244’s restrictions on speech are downright Orwellian and unconstitutional,” said Susan Stewart, a retired teacher from Huntsville. “You’re actually going to tell a teacher that if students ask questions about a classmate with two mommies, they have to drag students aside for private conversations, creating an atmosphere of shame and confusion in their own classroom?”
Former Alabama representative Patricia Todd also spoke in opposition to the bill.
“I didn’t become gay because I saw a pride flag or somebody taught me something,” Todd said. “And when you look at bills in Alabama that you all are dealing with, it’s like the queer community’s the enemy. We just want to live our lives. We want to pay our taxes, mow our grass, be with our families, raise our children. Without government interference.”
Supporters said the bill keeps schools focused on academics. “This bill reinforces the idea that education should prioritize academic excellence… rather than ideological discussions that may not align with the parents’ values,” said Becky Garritson of Eagle Forum of Alabama.
Committee chair Terri Collins, R-Decatur, said the bill could be voted on at a later date.
Committee hears testimony on pronoun permission bill
A bill requiring written parental permission before public school or college employees may use a student’s chosen name or pronouns received a public hearing in the House Education Policy committee Wednesday.
Alabama House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, said House Bill 246 “would prohibit employees at public school and public institutions of higher education from using names or pronouns inconsistent with a student’s legal name, biological sex without written permission from the student’s parents or guardian.”
Teachers and students are already capable of navigating how to address one another respectfully,” Leah Billy Welborn said. “As has been said before, this is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. I can’t imagine why we want to spend your time on this. Putting this burden on teachers just seems unkind. They already do hard enough jobs, and we need to be supporting them, not making them jump through hoops needlessly.”
Proponents argued the bill protects free speech and religious beliefs. John Eidsmoe of the Foundation for Moral Law said the law addresses a problem his organization has seen in other states.
“I believe that a student has a right to call himself by any pronoun he wants, but he doesn’t have a right to force others to use that same pronoun, especially if it violates that person’s religious or moral or medical or social or scientific beliefs,” he told committee members.
Stadthagen said he will introduce a substitute bill before the committee votes in a future meeting.
Alabama House committee passes bill to streamline prison-to-employment pipeline
In a unanimous vote, the Alabama House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill Wednesday to assist formerly incarcerated Alabamians receive occupational licences.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, would prohibit occupational licensing boards, which issue licenses for various trades such as for electricians or plumbers, from denying an applicant a license based solely on the applicant’s criminal history. The bill includes exceptions, preserving the right of boards to deny applications based on a criminal history so long as it’s relevant to the profession in question.
Without discussion, the bill passed, and after having already passed through the Senate, must be approved in the House before being sent to the governor’s office for final approval.