Georgia bill banning gender identity discussions in private schools unlikely to move forward this year

Georgia bill would restrict gender identity discussions in schools

The bill was filed days before crossover day, and is unlikely to move forward. But the person who introduced the bill said he dropped the bill to start a conversation.

ATLANTA - The sponsor of a bill to ban discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in Georgia's private schools said he never had any intention of it passing this session.

"I dropped the bill to start a conversation," explained state Sen. Carden Summers, R-Cordele.  "Obviously, I didn't want the bill to go anywhere, but I've had so many parents and so many people have been coming before us telling us that they have no rights in private schools."

Under the legislation, private schools that receive federal or state funding, or that compete against public schools in sports would not be allowed to "promote, compel, or encourage classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the student."  

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The bill would also ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory and some of its tenets.

Sen. Summers filed the bill March 8, exactly one week before the Crossover Day deadline, which means it is unlikely to gain any traction this session. 

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"Initially because of the timing of it, I automatically knew that it probably wasn't serious in terms of being able to move forward," said state Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain.  "But it certainly was alarming, and it does kind of raise everybody's concerns around is this the pathway that's going to bring this bill to our public schools as well?"  

The bill immediately drew comparisons to the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida, which contains some of the same language.  Lawmakers there gave the final passage last week and it awaits the signature of Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida.  

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"That has nothing to do with the gay bill," Sen. Summers insisted.  "I would never put something on the table like that.  I have no issue with gay rights.  I have no issue with anybody's rights, you know?  Black Lives Matter, whatever.  I'm simply saying that we all follow the same sheet.  We're all on the same sheet of music here and we all have a curriculum."  

Sen. Summers said the Senate Education and Youth Committee would likely hold a hearing on the measure sometime after Crossover Day.

"If this bill gets a hearing, then people who are opposed to this bill really do need to show up and they need to tell their story, because I think that the bill's author doesn't actually understand how problematic the bill is itself," said Sen. Jackson.

She argues the bill is not about sex, but about identity.

"If you have a child who has parents who are same-sex, the teacher won't be able to talk about that.  If little Johnny shows up wearing a skirt and kids pick on him, the teacher doesn't get to address that and that's what that bill does and that's why it's problematic," Sen. Jackson explained.  

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