The Florida Legislature recently passed a controversial bill on parental rights in education, which opponents of the bill have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”
While the bill doesn’t include the word “gay,” it does include a section that says, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate.”
One state senator believes a version of this bill should be considered in Alabama. During an appearance on WVNN’s “The Yaffee Program,” State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) said he’s willing to take up the fight to get something like the Florida bill passed in Alabama.
“This is something that I think we need to establish as a policy in this state, that we’re not going to get into sexual orientation and gender identity at such tender ages,” said Orr.
Orr suggested that the best approach to get this done would be to offer it as an amendment to a current bill on education.
“I’m thinking maybe we ought to amend the CRT legislation that’s floating around the state house that I certainly hope we’re able to pass,” he advised.
The state senator also said he wanted to bring it up to the rest of the Republican caucus to see if it would be able to get enough votes to pass.
He added, “Ultimately I’m but one member, and if the votes aren’t there, then it won’t happen, but I certainly feel strongly enough about it that, if they’re willing to go down that road, to take the issue, get the amendment drafted offer the amendment, and take all the blowback that you know that’s coming.”
Orr admitted he doesn’t know if gender ideology is currently being discussed in any Alabama schools but said he believes taking preventative action on the subject is a good thing.
“My goodness, should we really be going down the road regarding sexual orientation and gender identity to kindergarteners, second graders, third graders? Are you kidding me? It’s just outlandish that we even have to put something like this in the code, but evidently it’s being done in classrooms potentially around the country and possibly here in Alabama,” he lamented.
Michael Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
