Senate Education Committee advances bill requiring schools to bar classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity

The Idaho Senate Education Committee voted to send House Bill 352 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation after a hearing that included competing testimony from teachers’ groups, parents and advocacy organizations.

Representative Dale Hawkins, the bill sponsor, told the committee the bill “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.”

Committee members and witnesses debated what the bill would mean in practice. Chris Perry of the Idaho Education Association testified against the bill, saying it would “scrub” parts of American history and make it hard to teach events such as the Stonewall riots or the AIDS epidemic without referring to sexual orientation. Jeffrey Watkins, a District 16 resident, raised similar concerns about literature and history lessons, asking whether the law could prevent teaching Romeo and Juliet or parts of Shakespeare where gender roles are central.

Supporters said the bill restores parental rights over when and how children are introduced to sensitive topics. Samuel Lair of the Idaho Freedom Foundation testified in support, arguing such subjects are “too divisive” for schools and should be left to parents and churches. Christina Hardy, a parent, said examples from her district — a drama performance and classroom problems she described — showed a need for clearer limits and said the bill would “help maintain the focus on core educational objectives.”

Senators also questioned the bill’s enforcement language. Senator Ward Engelking expressed concern about a private cause of action in the bill, which he said could let plaintiffs sue school districts and “use taxpayer dollars” for litigation. Representative Hawkins said the private-rights language mirrors existing law and that the bill primarily amends the instructional scope.

The committee record shows the bill was moved and seconded for a due-pass recommendation and the motion carried. A dissenting vote was recorded during the voice vote. Committee members discussed next steps; Representative Hawkins said he anticipates a Senate sponsor would carry the bill to the floor.

Why it matters: If enacted, the bill would require each Idaho public school to adopt written policies barring classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for K–12 students, a change supporters say protects parental authority and critics say will limit curricular content and create uncertainty for teachers and districts.

The bill’s sponsors and opponents said several issues remain unresolved in committee testimony — chiefly how the law would apply to counseling, historical instruction and developmentally appropriate teaching — and some senators asked for citations to code where “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” are already defined. The transcript indicates those definitions exist in Idaho code but sponsors did not provide the exact statutory text during the hearing.