Bossier Parish state rep. files bill to prohibit classroom talk of sexual preference, gender identity

Rep. Dodie Horton (R), District 9, Haughton, LA

A Bossier Parish lawmaker has, again this year, filed a bill to forbid classroom discussion of sexual preference or gender identity. Haughton Representative Dodie Horton’s HB 466 would also prohibit teachers and school employees from discussing their own orientation with kids. She says she knows of an educator in Shreveport who does this…:

“…where on teacher says he loves the fact that he confuses his kids from day to day. One day he looks like a woman, the next he looks like a man. He just gets a kick out of confusing these poor elementary students.”

Horton says her bill could be characterized as an anti-grooming measure. She filed a similar bill last year, but it failed to gain traction. She says the measure would prohibit classroom instruction of anything that deviates from state standards or curricula – especially topics of sexual identity and orientation. Horton says the bill codifies adherence to traditional learning…:

“…to make sure that when we drop our children off at school, that they’re being taught reading, writing and arithmetic according to the state standard/curriculum. That’s it.”

Horton’s bill would also bar use of so-called “preferred pronouns” that do not match the gender the student was born. Exceptions would be made if parents make written requests of such, but can be refused if the teacher has religious or moral issue with it. Horton says a child’s time in school should be spent learning…:

“You know, teachers have such a limited amount of time to teach the standards that these kids are going to be tested on. So, we just want to make sure the focus remains on the subject at hand.”

Horton says any parent – Republican or Democrat – should be concerned about the subject. The Governor has called the idea a “solution in search of a problem.”