SPONSOR: Kelley (127)
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education by a vote of 10 to 8.
This bill prohibits public schools and institutions of higher education from requiring students to engage in any form of mandatory gender or sexual diversity training or counseling.
The bill also prohibits public school employees and employees of institutions of higher education from requiring or making as a part of a course specified concepts including but not limited to: one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; an individual's moral character is necessarily determined by the individual's race or sex; and an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of the individual's race or sex.
This bill contains an emergency clause.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill is similar to language found in Oklahoma and 34 other states, that the bill will help promote transparency in eduction and stop the push for equity in education which is akin to reverse racism.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Kelley; Arnie C. Dienoff; and Rachel Lively.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that this will restrict student organizations and limit free speech in the classroom. This bill will have a chilling effect on gender and race diversity education. Education on topics such as stereotypes and discrimination is important and should be allowed to be included in curriculum.
Testifying against the bill were Angela L Boyle; Annie Bernaix; Dawn Banks; Devon Rafael Teran, Revolucíon Educativa; Elisa Neilson; Eric Hadley; Geralyn Madigan; Heather Zychalski; Jeff Wolman; John L. Sita; Kristie Johnson; Lexi Jackson Hall, Associated Students of the University of Missouri; Lorri Richardson; Pro Choice Missouri; Megan VonArb; Michael Bourbina; Michelle Shepherd; Rebecca Shaw; Rebekah Berkowitz; Sloan Sheffield Cowell; Susan Gibson; Susan Shumway; Victoria Godfrey-Zeller; Luke Barber; Philip Deitch; Lynn Nienkemper; Missouri NEA; Abigail Pankau; Catherine Hasler; Catherine Holmes; Dava-Leigh Brush; Emily Klein; Hannah Mitchell; Jarrett Pillsbury; Jessica Roberts; Julie Scott; Laura Burkhardt; Linda Hoechst; Advocates of Planned Parenthood of the St Louis Region and Southwest Missouri; Marilyn Dollinger; Marissa Polzin; Nichole Brinkmann; Sarah Hassing; Stephanie Rittgers; Suzanne McGinnis; Tom Ferri; Shira Berkowitz, Promo; Connor Luebbert, Missouri State Conference National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Emily Hornstra.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: