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Opponents say bill violates parents’ right to change child’s name, pronouns [1]
['Robin Opsahl', 'More From Author', '- February']
Date: 2024-02-05
Republican lawmakers on an Iowa House panel advanced legislation Monday that opponents said would allow school employees to ignore a parent’s request that their child be allowed to use a different name or pronouns than they were assigned at birth.
Students, parents and education advocates said the bill, which would prohibit disciplinary action against school staff and students who do not use a person’s preferred name and pronouns, would violate the “parental rights” law signed last session.
Lawmakers heard Monday from lobbyists and members of the public at the subcommittee meeting for House File 2139. The bill would forbid school districts and charter schools from giving “verbal or written reprimands” to people who use a student’s or school employee’s legal name instead of their preferred name or for not using their preferred pronouns.
The bill also bars stricter disciplinary measures for students, such as suspension or expulsion, and for teachers, school staff and contractors such as termination of employment, demotion or financial penalties.
Matthew McIver, who has a transgender child, was among opponents who said this law directly contradicts Senate File 496, a law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2023. The law — parts of which are currently being challenged in court — requires school districts to notify parents and seek permission if their child requests using a different name or pronouns than they were assigned at birth.
McIver said this bill would allow schools to override parents’ wishes for their child’s preferred name and pronouns to be used and respected.
“This bill is a direct abrogation of parents’ rights,” McIver said. “If I have already identified for the district the preferred name and gender and pronouns of my child, saying that there is no consequence to a teacher not using what I have clearly communicated to the school district, per the existing law, strips me of my rights as a parent for determining what is best for my child.”
Timber Stevens, a 14-year-old student, said he has family and friends who would be harmed by the legislation, as it would allow them to be targeted at school with no repercussions.
“There is no reason to allow our teachers to bully and belittle children,” Stevens said. “If you vote to pass this bill, it shows you’re willing to enable harassment at Iowa’s schools, for the single reason of targeting minorities. It’s time we move past this and focus on actual issues that need actual solutions.”
Ryan Benn with the Family Leader said the measure was necessary to protect “teachers of faith,” and that parents’ rights in regard to their children’s education do not override teachers’ right to uphold their personal religious beliefs by not using a transgender child’s preferred name and pronouns.
“We need more teachers, not less,” Benn said. “And when there’s teachers of faith that they believe there’s two genders, male and female, and believe you can’t identify something that you’re not and just, you know, simple, common sense beliefs like that … they want to be able to not violate their conscience when dealing with their class and doing their job.”
Pam Gronau, a parent speaking in favor of the bill, said the bill was necessary, sharing the story of a nonbinary middle school teacher who scolded a student for using “Mrs.” instead of “Teacher” as an honorific while addressing them, requiring the student write an apology letter explaining why what they did was disrespectful.
“We have taught our children that there are two genders, male and female,” Gronau said. “We have taught them to use pronouns are based on those two genders. I believe this teacher overstepped (their) role by making the student write an apology explaining why he believed this was disrespectful. This is an example of the indoctrination that is taking place in schools today with our children, and it has to stop.”
Melissa Peters, representing the Iowa State Education Association, said if the example presented by Gronau occurred in an Iowa school, it would already be a violation that could cause an administrator to refer the educator to the state Board of Educational Examiners if reported. The ISEA is not aware of any school districts in the state currently punishing teachers or students for using a person’s wrong name or pronouns, she said.
Outside of teachers’ having objections to using a transgender students’ preferred name and pronouns, speakers said the bill would also allow bullying of transgender students by their peers. Kathranne Knight said the bill would strip schools of the ability to help students who are facing discrimination or bullying because they are transgender.
“As a parent, I am sickened, exhausted and angry by these attacks on children who are made to feel unsafe and threatened while the bullies get away with it,” Knight said. “It is a backward, upside-down and cruel situation when the adults in the room not only look away from the bullying, but promote it.”
Keenan Crow with One Iowa, a LGBTQ advocacy group, said it’s also important to note that accidents are already protected, and that no one is currently being penalized for making a mistake while using a person’s name or pronouns.
“Harassment is a pattern of conduct, it is not a single incident,” Crow said. “It’s certainly not a mistake. What we’re talking about here is intentional, continued ongoing, incorrect usage of a name or a pronoun that can be incredibly damaging to a student.”
The legislation passed 2-1, with Republican Reps. Henry Stone and Bill Gustoff moving the bill forward while Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, voted against it. The bill moves next to the House Education Committee.
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