CONTROVERSY IN CONGRESS

CURRENT INDIANA HOUSE BILLS, EXPLAINED

Indiana Legislation is experiencing some controversy right now, mainly due to the introduction and debates surrounding HB1134 and HB1041. These bills, if passed, would impact HSE students and athletics and could change curriculum. The two bills have been in circulation since early January 2022, but more recent discussions over them have sparked public controversy.

HB1134 is a critical race theoryinspired bill. The bill was authored by representitive Anthony Cook. The o cial bill states “a parent of a student may request that the committee review specifi c learning material and presentation content of guest speakers. […] Requires a teacher or other employee of a qualifi ed school, upon request, to allow a parent to review any learning material. Provides that a school corporation or qualifi ed 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 sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin.”

This bill would give parents more control over what their kids are learning in classrooms. Teachers’ lesson plans would be posted online for approval by a public committee before the start of the next school year and parents would have the option to opt their kids out of any lessons that they do not want them involved in. Additionally, the bill would ban teachers from talking about issues of sex, race, ethnicity, or religion. In sum, it bans divisive content in classrooms.

The bill passed through the House in early February and passed the Senate education committee around Feb. 21. However, it was rejected by the Senate on Feb. 28.

HB1041 deals with the participation of transgender female students in public schools and would prohibit them from being on girls’ sports teams. The bill was authored by representative Michelle Davis. The bill would require schools to classify sports teams as either boy’s teams, girl’s teams, or coed teams and therefore prohibit students who are assigned male at birth from participating on teams classifi ed as girls’ teams.

The o cial bill states “Requires, for purposes of interscholastic athletic events, school corporations, public schools, nonpublic schools and certain athletic associations to expressly designate an athletic team or sport as one of the following: (1) A male, men’s, or boys’ team or sport. (2) A female, women’s, or girls’ team or sport. (3) A coeducational or mixed team or sport. Prohibits a male, based on the student’s biological sex at birth in accordance with the student’s genetics and reproductive biology, from participating on an athletic team or sport designated as being a female, women’s, or girls’ athletic team or sport.”

The bill passed the House in early February and the Senate education committee around Feb. 16. The bill was passed in a Senate vote on March 1.

HB 1134 and HB 1041 would alter school environments for many students around Indiana. As more votes and debates take place, make sure to stay informed through local news sources. Story by Nicole Morris.

Bill information provided by the Indiana General Assembly website.

HSE Students were asked on an Instagram poll on February 16 for their opinions towards the two bills in question. The results can be seen in the infographic below.

HB 1134 - Education Bill HB 1041 - Participation in School Sports

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