Senate Bill 386: Bans teaching civil rights history or information about the history of racism, sexism, homophobia or transphobia in schools

Senate Bill 386 would prevent K-12 and Higher Education public schools from teaching history of civil rights, history of sexism and the women’s movement, and history of discrimination against LGBTQ people in the US. SB-386 attempts to redefine civil rights history as being discriminatory toward groups that have historically held power in the US – cisgender, white, heterosexual men, slave owners and other historically oppressive groups.

Senate Bill 386
Authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz.

DIGEST
Dignity and nondiscrimination in education. Provides that a school corporation or qualified school shall not promote certain concepts as part of a course of instruction or in a curriculum or instructional program, or allow teachers or other employees to use supplemental learning materials to promote certain concepts regarding age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, marital status, familial status, mental or physical disability, religion, or national origin. Requires a request to meet with a teacher for certain complaints. Requires each school corporation or qualified school to establish grievance procedures for certain complaints. Provides that, if a parent of a student or a student, if the student is an adult or an emancipated minor, is not satisfied with a final decision, the parent or student may submit a request to the secretary of education (secretary) to review the complaint and decision. Provides that the secretary’s decision is a final order and is appealable. Requires the department of education to create guidance materials and professional development materials for use by school corporations, qualified schools, and teachers.

Actions for Senate Bill 386

S 01/19/2023 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
S 01/19/2023 Authored by Senator Raatz

Link to PDF of Introduced Bill: SB0386.01.INTR