One Democratic lawmaker said the legislation "puts trans youth in harm's way and censors content that acknowledges trans people’s existence.
Brett Wilkins at Common Dreams:
The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation that critics warn would force public schools receiving federal funding to “out” transgender students to their parents without or without their consent, a policy that advocates warn could endanger many trans youth. HR 2616, the Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act—but dubbed the “Don’t Say Trans” bill by some critics—was introduced by Reps. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Burgess Owens (R-Utah) and passed by a vote of 217-198, with eight Democrats joining every Republican and one Independent present in voting for the legislation.
The bill—which faces an uncertain future in the Senate—requires federally funded elementary and middle schools to obtain parental consent before changing a student’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred names on school forms. It also mandates parental consent for a student’s access to sex-based accommodations, such as locker rooms or bathrooms. The legislation also prohibits federal elementary and secondary education funds from being used to advance concepts of so-called “gender ideology”—an inaccurate term that GLAAD says is “deployed by opponents to undermine and dehumanize transgender and nonbinary people”—in the classroom. The term features prominently in a day-one executive order signed by President Donald Trump in what critics say is an effort to effectively erase trans people from public existence.
“Too many schools are keeping parents in the dark about what’s happening in their own children’s classrooms, even going so far as to withhold critical information about their kids’ well-being and development,” Walberg said.
“Families deserve honesty, not secrecy—especially when it comes to issues like gender identity,” he continued. “Simply put, parents should never be the last to know—that’s not political, it’s common sense.”
“Meanwhile, political and ideological agendas are being pushed through curriculum without parents’ knowledge or consent, sidelining the very people responsible for raising these children,” Walberg added.
However, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)—whose daughter is transgender—accused Republicans of “targeting trans kids with a bill that would require public schools to forcibly out students who want to use certain pronouns or accommodations, even if it would put them in danger.”
“I’m a hell no,” Jayapal said of the bill. “Trans kids deserve better.” Other House Democrats echoed Japayal’s objections, with Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois warning that the “Republicans’ extreme bill puts trans youth in harm’s way and censors content that acknowledges trans people’s existence.” “I will always stand up for student safety, and I am voting NO,” Kelly added. Rep. Christian Menefee of Texas said that “instead of making sure America’s schools have the resources and support they need to ensure every student is given the same shot at success, Republicans are bringing a ‘Don’t Say Trans’ bill to the floor today to forcibly out trans students, even if doing so would put students in immediate physical danger.”
[...] The eight Democrats who voted for the bill are: Reps. Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Cleo Fields of Louisiana, Laura Gillen of New York, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, and Eugene Vindman of Virginia. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) called HR 2616 part of “MAGA’s weird obsession with trans people.”
The House voted 217-198 to pass the Orwellianly-titled student safety-harming forced outing bill “Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act” (HR2616) that requires federally funded public schools to forcibly out trans students to their parents without the consent of the student.
More alarmingly, 8 Democrats voted for this student safety-endangering forced outing bill: Cuellar (TX), Davis (NC), Fields (LA), Gillen (NY), Gonzalez (TX), Gluesenkamp Perez (WA), Kaptur (OH), and Vindman (VA).
Thankfully, this bill will be halted in the Senate, thanks to the 60-vote rule to break cloture.
See Also:
The Advocate: These 8 Democrats voted for the Republican national ‘Don’t Say Trans’ bill passed by the House
LGBTQ Nation: House passes “Don’t Say Trans” bill that would force teachers to out trans students nationwide
Erin In The Morning (Erin Reed): 8 Congressional Democrats Vote To Defund Schools That Support Trans People