SB161 (Boysko) would require the Department of Education to
develop and make available to each school board, no later than December 31,
2020, model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public
elementary and secondary schools that address common issues regarding
transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices and
include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to (i)
compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws; (ii) maintenance of a safe
and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment for
all students; (iii) prevention of and response to bullying and harassment; (iv)
maintenance of student records; (v) identification of students; (vi) protection
of student privacy and the confidentiality of sensitive information; (vii)
enforcement of sex-based dress codes; and (viii) student participation in
sex-specific school activities, events, and athletics and use of school
facilities. The bill requires each school board to adopt, no later than the
beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, policies that are consistent with but
may be more comprehensive than such model policies developed by the Department
of Education. In Committee, the bill was
amended to remove the reference to athletics and then was reported on a vote of
10-5.
SB232 (Boysko) would require each school board to make
tampons and pads available at all times and at no cost to students in the
bathrooms of each public school at which any student in grades five through 12
is enrolled and at which at least 40 percent of enrolled students are eligible
for free or reduced lunch. In committee the bill was amended to apply to all public
schools. The amended bill was reported
15-0.
SB132 (Chase) would require the Board of Education to
authorize local school boards to offer as an elective in grades nine through 12
with appropriate credits toward graduation a course on the Hebrew
Scriptures/Old Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible or a
combined course on both. The bill requires the Board of Education to develop
Standards of Learning and curriculum guidelines for such courses. The bill
provides that the purpose of such courses is to introduce students to biblical
content, characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to
understanding contemporary society and culture, including literature, art,
music, mores, oratory, and public policy. The bill prohibits students from
being required to use a specific translation of a religious text when taking
the courses and provides that such courses shall maintain religious neutrality
and shall not endorse, favor, promote, disfavor, or show hostility toward any
particular religion or nonreligious perspective. The bill was defeated on a vote of 8-6.
SB176 (Chase) would prohibit local school boards from
requiring students to attend school on the second Tuesday in June or the Tuesday
after the first Monday in November. The bill also prohibits parent-teacher
conferences and meetings from being held on those dates. The bill failed on a vote of 1-14.
