Senate Education Committee advances bill banning K–12 classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity

House Bill 352, a measure that would require Idaho public schools to adopt written policies prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through grade 12, advanced out of the Senate Education Committee on a voice vote.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Dale Hawkins, told the committee the proposal “requires public schools to adopt procedures and policies that prohibit classroom instruction by public school personnel on orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through grade 12, or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

Supporters framed the bill as protecting parental authority. Samuel Lair of the Idaho Freedom Foundation said public schools should avoid “things that divide our state” and argued those topics belong outside public education. Representative Hawkins told the committee the definitions for the terms are already in Idaho law and that the measure is intended to leave implementation to local districts.

Opponents warned of broad effects on teaching and curriculum. Chris Perry of the Idaho Education Association testified the bill “would scrub” parts of U.S. history from classrooms because some historical events and figures (for example, the Stonewall riots or the assassination of Harvey Milk) cannot be taught without reference to sexual orientation or gender identity. Jeffrey Watkins and other public commenters described scenarios—classroom readings and historical texts—where the bill’s language could be interpreted to prohibit longstanding instruction.

Committee members pressed sponsors on specific provisions. Senator Ward Engelking said he had “a real problem with suing our school districts” after reading the bill’s private-cause-of-action language on page 3 allowing “injunctive relief, damages, and any other relief available under the law” against a school. Senator Woodward asked whether the prohibition on “classroom instruction” would nonetheless allow school counselors to speak with students; Representative Hawkins said he could not answer with certainty and pointed to other rules that govern counselor conduct.

The committee voted to send the bill to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation. The action was recorded as a voice vote and the motion carried.

The bill will next appear on the Senate floor for further debate and any amendments that senators choose to offer there.