INDIANAPOLIS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana today praised Indiana legislators for passing SB 65 without discriminatory language that would have targeted LGBTQ students.
Last month, in response to broad grassroots opposition from the ACLU of Indiana and others, the Indiana State House removed language from Senate Bill 65 that would have limited instruction on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” in public schools. However, when the Senate rejected the House’s amendments, the bill went to conference committee, where the language could have been reinserted.
“We were extremely concerned that legislators would try to bring this harmful language back from the dead in the waning hours of session – so today’s vote to pass a clean version is a huge relief, and a win for all Hoosier students,” said Katie Blair, ACLU of Indiana Director of Advocacy and Public Policy. “LGBTQ students can breathe a little easier today knowing they won’t be targeted by this discriminatory provision, and it wouldn’t have happened without the thousands of Hoosiers who spoke out and sent a clear message that hate has no place in our state.”
Legal experts and advocates asserted that the proposed language was so broad that it could have prevented schools from discussing any LGBTQ issues without express written permission from parents and could have chilled educators from taking action to prevent bullying and harassment.
