Lawmakers in Louisiana advanced several education-related bills that would limit the teaching of gender theory, stop the use of “preferred pronouns,” and ensure students are using restrooms that align with their biological sex.
The Louisiana House Education Committee and full House approved a variety of K-12 and university-level education reforms on Wednesday for the state, dealing with subjects ranging from gender-related instruction to allowing parents to use tax dollars for private school.
One bill that passed through the committee 9-3 would prohibit educators from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in public school classrooms, including a ban on teachers addressing their own sexuality or aiding students talking about it, according to the Lafayette-based Daily Advertiser.
Republican state Rep. Dodie Horton, the legislation’s sponsor, said the bill “does not condemn anyone’s lifestyle choice, but protects the children,” adding, “It keeps the conversation between the parent, the home and the child.”
The measure, however, does not appear to have an enforcement mechanism or a system for reporting teachers who violate the law, but Horton said those determinations would be made by school boards themselves.
The full Louisiana House approved 82-19 another Horton-sponsored bill that requires state-funded institutions of higher education to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. That bill now heads to the Senate.
Another gender ideology restriction passed the House Education Committee 9-3, which blocks teachers from using the preferred names and pronouns of students claiming transgender identity. It instead would require students to use the names and pronouns that appear on their birth certificates.
The House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure moved forward a measure that would require schools to designate facilities based on biological sex, not purported gender. That bill would also require domestic violence shelters to have dedicated bathrooms and sleeping areas based on biological sex.
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According to the Daily Advertiser, some critics are concerned the domestic violence shelters would be at risk of losing federal dollars since the federal government forces adherence to transgender ideology. However, Republican state Attorney General Liz Murrill promised to sue the federal government if it decided to threaten funding.
On Monday, the full House also passed a bill unrelated to gender ideology, which would allow parents to use tax money to pay for private school tuition. If passed into law, it would allocate between $5,000 and $15,000 to families who are able to use that money on tuition, uniforms, books, and supplies. The program, called LA GATOR, would prioritize children with learning disabilities when allocating money, but families could see anywhere from $5,200 to $7,500 per child, depending on household income.