A new bill in West Virginia, US could prevent public schools from discussing LGBTQ+ topics if passed successfully. According to Them, House Bill 2157 states schools will be prohibited from the “teaching of sexuality”, although it did not outline the penalties for teachers who continue to discuss LGBTQ+ topics in class. Dean Jeffries, one of the bill’s main sponsors, said he introduced the regulations as it is “what his constituents find important,” but did not provide any further details.
LGBTQ+ activists and advocacy groups are concerned about the implications of the bill, with Fairness West Virginia saying it will harm students, adding: “It was designed to silence teachers from showing any support to their LGBTQ+ students, but it’s written so broadly that it would likely also prevent health teachers from talking about teen pregnancy or ways to prevent the spread of STDs.” GLSEN deputy executive director, Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, agreed, saying there is evidence that LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula benefits the mental wellbeing of students.
West Virginia is now one of over 20 states which has proposed regulations to limit the rights of LGBTQ+ youth. The majority of states are attacking trans youth, with 17 considering bills which will prevent trans athletes from participating in school sports. House Bill 2157 has been referred to West Virginia’s education committee, with Joseph Cohen, executive director of ACLU West Virginia, hoping it will not make any further progress: “We are cautiously optimistic this bill will not receive a hearing, but make no mistake: There are numerous bills with potentially more support behind them that target LGBTQ+ youth.”
