Educators, students speak out about Indiana restricting Indiana LGBTQ discussion
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The passage of House Bill 1608 has taken a toll on some students and teachers.
Some of them on Monday went to the Statehouse to have their voices heard.
The House Education Committee advanced the bill by a vote of 9-4.
Jennifer McCormick, the former Indiana superintendent of public instruction, said, “Focusing on LGBTQ population is not being helpful. It’s causing more problems than it’s helping.”
Claire Goodnight, a student, said, “I don’t think it’s right to silence people and say that they can’t talk about this stuff in school.”
Some students say they fear House Bill 1608 is the beginning of a long list of legislation that will target LGBTQ students in Indiana. “Some of my best friends, some of them are lesbian. Some of them are pansexual,” Goodnight said. “Just keeping them from talking about themselves in school or that kind of stuff and bringing it up in conversation, I don’t think it’s right.”
Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer, president of the Indiana Coalition for Public Education, says the legislation is impacting educators. “As a mother, as educators, we understand that children learn best when they feel valued and respected and safe in a school setting and so if they don’t feel that, then it’s much harder for them to learn.”
McCormick said, “One thing that was behind that bill that was very misleading was that schools are ignoring parent rights and that we’re not trying to be inclusive of the parent. Our first responsibility is to the protection and safety of a child.”
Matthew Tandy, another student, said of the bill, “There was a part of me that knew that no matter how many people showed up that there was a chance that they would ignore it and ignore the voices of their constituents.”