Utah Bill Would Require Teachers to Be Politically ‘Neutral’ In Class

This article was originally published in Utah News Dispatch.

It started as what critics call a “ Don’t Say Gay ” bill last year, but has since evolved into broader legislation to control what teachers can and can’t say — or display — in their classrooms.

With HB303 , Rep. Jeff Stenquist, R-Draper, wants to ban teachers from “endorsing, promoting or disparaging” certain beliefs or viewpoints, including religious or political beliefs and sexual orientation or gender identity.

Stenquist started working on the bill about a year ago, after some parents expressed concerns about a teacher talking about pronouns and gender identity with young students.

---

Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

---

HB303 would restrict teachers from having those discussions unless they’re germane to the curriculum, and would require teachers to tread carefully as to not sway a student to change their beliefs. It would also effectively restrict the display of Pride flags or other symbols that could be interpreted as a “political” or “social” belief unless they’re relevant to the curriculum.

Story continues