_edited.jpg){kind=logo}
What is House Bill 1134 that has teachers and school systems upset?
Many have heard bits and pieces, but this is what it includes.
This news page will not comment an opinion, as we are a political-free information news page. We are sharing this because we want the public to be informed of what this bill is. The Digest is only the overview of the 54-page bill that can be found here
The digest of the bill introduced by Anthony Cook (representative) according to the Indiana General Assembly reads as follows:
Education matters. Defines a "qualified school". Requires each qualified school to post certain educational activities and curricular materials on the school's Internet website. Provides that public records that are available on a qualified school's Internet website shall be excepted from public record requests for individuals that have access to the school's Internet website at the discretion of the qualified school. Requires the school corporation or qualified school to add functionality that allows parents of students in the school corporation to opt in to or opt-out of certain educational activities and curricular materials under certain conditions. Provides that the governing body of a school corporation shall create a curricular materials advisory committee (committee) comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. Requires the committee to submit recommendations regarding curricular materials and educational activities to the governing body of a school corporation. Provides parameters for the composition of the committee, the appointment of committee members, and the appointment of a committee chairperson. Provides that the committee shall meet a certain number of times annually. Provides that a state agency, state educational institution, school corporation, or qualified school or an employee of the state agency, state educational institution, school corporation, or qualified school acting in an official capacity may not promote certain concepts as part of a course of instruction or in a curriculum or direct or otherwise compel a school employee or student to adhere to certain tenets relating to the individual's sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, or political affiliation. Provides that a state agency, school corporation, qualified school, or state educational institution or an employee of the state agency, school corporation, qualified school, or state educational institution acting in an official capacity may not require an employee of the school corporation, qualified school, or state educational institution to engage in training, orientation, or therapy that presents any form of racial or sex-stereotyping or blame on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, or political affiliation. Provides that a student shall not be required to participate in personal analysis, an evaluation, or a survey that reveals or attempts to affect the student's attitudes, habits, traits, opinions, beliefs, or feelings without parental consent. Provides that, if a school corporation or qualified school uses a third party vendor in providing a personal analysis, evaluation, or survey that reveals, identifies, collects, maintains, or attempts to affect a student's attitudes, habits, traits, opinions, beliefs, or feelings, the third-party vendor and the school corporation or qualified school may not collect or maintain the responses to or results of the analysis, evaluation, or survey in a manner that would identify the responses or results of an individual student. Provides, with certain exceptions, that before a school corporation or qualified school may provide or administer certain mental, social-emotional, or psychological services to a student, the school must provide the parent of the student or the student, if the student is an adult or an emancipated minor, with a written request for consent to provide or administer certain mental, social-emotional, or psychological services. Makes changes to the definition of "sexually explicit" for the purpose of trade regulation. Removes schools and certain public libraries from the list of entities eligible for a specified defense to criminal prosecutions alleging: (1) the dissemination of material harmful to minors; or (2) a performance harmful to minors. Adds colleges and universities to the entities eligible for a specified defense to criminal prosecutions alleging: (1) the dissemination of material harmful to minors; or (2) a performance harmful to minors.
Parents need to understand this bill
If it should stay or if it should go is not what we are here to discuss, what we want people to do is understand the bill as it stands right now. In the school board meeting last night, the concern of how to plan lessons six months in advance was bought up. Dr. Shawn Greiner, recently announced as the new superintendent of West Lafayette Community School Corp, said last month he believes this possible legislation will alter how history is taught in Indiana classrooms. Others in the education field worry about how this bill can cause additional teacher shortages.
We have the whole bill here for your review.
HB1134.03.ENGH
.pdf
Download PDF • 790KB
