Courtney Balcombe – Sports Editor 

clb6264@psu.edu

Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers are trying to limit how schools teach issues related to the LGBT+ community, following a similar pattern to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, but Representative Stephanie Borowicz said her bill goes further than that.

While Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill bans classroom teaching on gender identity and sexual orientation through third grade, Borowicz said hers would be all the way up to 12th grade.

According to Pittsburgh’s NPR, the Legislation also mirrors Senator Scott Martin’s “Empowering Families in Education” bill, which would also prohibit classroom instruction on gender and sexuality topics up to fifth grade and require schools to tell parents about any discussions related to such topics. This bill passed the Senate in June and is now awaiting consideration in the House.

“Pennsylvania was founded on the basis of inclusion, and the Wolf Administration has fought to ensure that Pennsylvania will continue to be a state that welcomes and protects all of its residents,” said Rafael Álvarez Febo, Executive Director of the LGBTQ+ Affairs Commission for Wolf’s administration.

Governor Tom Wolf has shared that he will veto both bills, unfortunately, Wolf’s term does end in 2023.

The Pennsylvania American Civil Liberties Union denounced Martin’s bill. In a statement they said “it will limit teachers’ ability to give students the education and support they need” and that it will foster “a hostile environment that further endangers already-vulnerable young people.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano was at a rally in September to express his support for the legislation. His campaign has championed a “parental bill of rights” that would give parents more say over what should be taught in schools.

Pittsburgh’s NPR also shared in August that Borowicz and 20 other Republicans called on Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty to resign because LGBTQ-inclusive curricula and other resources were featured on the Pennsylvania Department of Education site.

“Everything from gender neutral days and classrooms, from 3rd to 12th grade to a tutorial on gender pronouns and instructions for teachers to ask before making false assumptions about someone’s gender identity,” Borowicz said, describing what was on the site.

However, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the state does not assign books or curricula. In fact, the schools make those decisions, meaning any books read in high school were strictly chosen by the schools those students attend, such as “Of Mice and Men” which is read by juniors at McDowell High School.

“The children who attend our schools represent the diverse backgrounds and cultures of our commonwealth, and that includes Pennsylvanians with various gender identities and expressions, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Education said in a statement. “The evidence-based Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, EIC, resources we are providing to schools are optional supports that they can use to foster a sense of community and belonging in their school.”

Unfortunately, whether either of these bills are passed or not, it is unknown if they will affect the current school year or start in the 2023-2024 school year.