Georgia’s Republican state senators have passed a bill that would ban transgender girls from playing high school sports with other girls, limit sex education, and require notification to parents of every item a child obtains in a school library. Originally focused on suicide prevention, the bill was significantly altered in a Senate committee. Supporters claim the bill protects children and empowers parents, while opponents argue it reflects a number of misguided culture war bills. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican possibly eyeing a run for governor, has been instrumental in pushing the bill forward in an effort to protect the integrity of women’s sports.
The bill specifically bans transgender girls from competing in girls’ high school sports, while still allowing transgender boys and girls to compete against those of their assigned sex. It also restricts transgender students playing sports from using multi-occupancy restrooms or locker rooms of the gender they identify with. Schools could potentially drop sex education and students would need to opt in to be enrolled in the program. The bill includes provisions that some fear may inadvertently prevent many parents from enrolling their children in sex education, potentially resulting in negative outcomes.
The bill also requires schools to provide 45 days of public review and comment, along with two public hearings, before adopting a sex education curriculum. It also includes measures allowing parents to receive an email whenever their child obtains library materials, and grants parents the right to access all information about a student, including reports of behavioral patterns, academic interventions, and materials related to classroom, library, and extracurricular activities. Opponents argue that the opt-in provision for sex education could lead to a lack of necessary education for some students, as well as invade the privacy of students by providing parents access to extensive personal information.
Those against the bill are concerned about its potential negative impact, such as exacerbating suicide rates. Rep. Omari Crawford, who initially sponsored the bill to address suicide prevention among high school athletes, is now working against its passage due to the added provisions. Supporters of the bill, on the other hand, believe it is necessary to protect children and allow parents more control over their child’s education. The bill’s passage in the Senate suggests a strong conservative push to influence public school policies in Georgia, aligning with similar actions taken by Republicans in other states. The bill’s ultimate fate remains uncertain as it moves to the House for consideration.
