Oklahoma House passes sex education bill with new school bathroom amendment

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma House of Representatives has authorised a controversial sex education bill with a new amendment to manage school loos.

Senate Bill 615 would require sex education supplies utilized in school counselor-led conferences or lessons to be inspected by the coed’s dad and mom or authorized guardian. This contains subjects like sexual orientation and gender identification.

“All this is about is trying to protect the family and tradition,” stated the bill’s creator, State Representative Danny Williams, R-Seminole. “This is a way to say ‘don’t talk about this stuff with these kids until their parents say you can and if they say you cannot, you cannot.’”

The new amendment filed by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, would require faculties to implement a ‘biological sex’ bathroom coverage.

Public faculties, and public constitution faculties, that serve enrolled college students in prekindergarten by twelfth grades, shall designate restrooms and altering services, which can be supposed to accommodate a number of people, as follows: 1. For the unique use of the male sex; or 2. For the unique use of the feminine sex. D. Individuals at a public school or public constitution school shall use the restroom or altering facility that corresponds to the person’s organic sex or “single-use” restrooms, if out there. E. Each school district board of education shall undertake a coverage to supply disciplinary motion for people who refuse to conform with the provisions on this act.

This follows questions surrounding the State’s steering on bathroom insurance policies after Stillwater Public Schools acquired letters from the Secretary of Education and Attorney General telling the district to finish a coverage it’s had since 2015 that permits transgender college students to make use of the bathroom that aligns with their gender identification.

The Stillwater Board of Education authorised a decision on April 18 requesting the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) and State Board of Education to take up emergency guidelines on restroom coverage.

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister stated April 23 she wished a proper written opinion from AG John O’Connor on whether or not districts could set their very own insurance policies for restroom use.

“The answers to these questions will not only provide the crystal-clear guidance sought and will come in the form of a binding opinion on those in Oklahoma who have historically implemented and enforced Title IX and related laws on these matters,” Hofmeister wrote to O’Connor. “Your attention and expeditious review of these matters are sincerely appreciated.”

Yesterday, the Office of Attorney General despatched a letter to Oklahoma House members following their very own request for steering.

While O’Connor stated he is not going to concern a proper opinion on the matter “because this office does not formally opine on issues where legislation is pending, and it is our understanding that legislation is currently being considered on these topics,” he did point out that there’s “no current Oklahoma law expressly governs the practice of opening school restrooms to students based on their self-identity.”

Superintendent Hoffmeister was unhappy, nevertheless.

“While no legal precedent on this topic currently exists in Oklahoma, other appellate courts around the nation have largely weighed in with rulings that appear to support the current policy of Stillwater Public Schools,” stated Hoffmeister. “Clarity is important here – and it is wholly appropriate that the Attorney General issue a binding formal opinion when requested to do so by an elected official. Indeed, it is his responsibility to do so.”

The bill goes again to the Senate for amendment approval.