Classroom Censorship Policy (H. 4757)

This bill would allow parents to exempt their children from any classroom instruction in a public school if it conflicts with their “beliefs or practices regarding sex, morality, or religion.” It would also forbid classroom discussions of "gender roles or stereotypes, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation” unless a teacher gives parents five days' advance notice and receives affirmative consent from the parents.

H. 4757 would require schools to post all curricula and teacher training materials online or provide them to parents on request. The bill would also guarantee parents access to all written or electronic educational records about a child in a public school, including counseling and psychological records.

We oppose this bill because: This bill would only exacerbate ongoing censorship and anti-trans rhetoric in public schools. The vague language in this bill poses the danger of teachers and administrators suppressing their speech in classrooms and censoring their teaching materials, leaving children with a subpar education.

This bill would also pose the danger of forcing school counselors and mental health workers to disclose private information about a student’s sexual orientation to their parents before the student is ready. In cases of non-supportive families, LGBTQ+ students may be put in danger due to this bill.

By opening up curricula to inspection under the guise of “parental rights,” this bill would also invite nationwide teacher harassment organizations like Moms for Liberty to seek control over classroom materials.