By Quinn Fitzgerald
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS ­– A Fort Wayne high school student told a House committee that she was surprised to find a speech class she was taking included lessons on gender-neutral pronouns.

“My parents were not informed of this material before I took the class and were shocked to see it in my textbook,” said Sarah Russell, 17, of Homestead High School. “In my opinion, the purpose of this instruction was to teach students that you can change your sex and that’s normal. I don’t think that was right.”

Russell was testifying Thursday before the House Education Committee in favor of Senate Bill 65, which would require schools to provide parents with details about any curriculum on human sexuality.

The proposed legislation, authored by Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, would also require parents to give schools a permission slip allowing their children to receive instruction on human sexuality, including topics like gender identity that Russell was taught.

During about three hours of testimony, the committee heard from those who lauded the bill as protecting the rights of parents to those who said it would create an unnecessary burden on schools or put gay and transgender students at risk by not educating others about their issues.

“Senate Bill 65 is all about parental rights, the right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children in the public schools with regards to this very important issue of sexuality,” said Eric Miller, founder of Advance America and representative of Indiana Right to Life.

While she fully supports parents’ involvement in their children’s education, Dr. Mary McAteer, a pediatrician in Indianapolis, is not in favor of the bill because having parents send in written consent would create a burden for families.

“Factual education about human anatomy and physiology is an important part of growing up,” McAteer said. “Children have exposed to so many sources of misinformation that schools are an excellent source to provide sexuality education.”

Unlike McAteer, House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, does not find parental consent to be a burden and favors parents having control over what their children are taught in school about sexual education.

“I don’t have a problem with parental consent. I mean you have to get parental consent to go on a field trip,” Bosma said in a media availability before the committee hearing. “But I do believe it’s important for parents to have noticed that they have the statutory right to review materials.”

Tara Johnson, associate professor of English education at Purdue University, said SB 65 would silence opportunities to discuss the issues that lead to LGBTQ students being bullied.

“If the topic of sexual orientation and gender identity is so taboo that we need parents’ permission in order to raise it in the classroom, I’m concerned it would have a dampening effect on much-needed dialogue on about those issues which are happening in society whether we like it or not,” Johnson said.

Amendments to the bill will be heard Tuesday in the House Education Committee.

FOOTNOTER:  Quinn Fitzgerald is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.