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Texas bill could force teachers to out students to parents, LGBT activists fear
Source: The Guardian
Texas bill could force teachers to out students to parents, LGBT activists fear
State senator files bill saying parents have right to all information
related to their child, saying it is intended to streamline existing
state law
Tom Dart in Houston
Wednesday 23 November 2016 16.32 GMT
LGBT rights activists in Texas fear that teachers will be forced to out pupils to their parents if proposed legislation becomes law next year.
Konni Burton, a Republican state senator from Fort Worth, filed the bill ahead of the 2017 legislative session. It asserts that parents have the right to all records and information related to their child, from test scores to details of their physical and mental health and “any general knowledge”.
Critics argue that if a child has confided in a teacher but not a parent it is probably because they fear harmful repercussions at home. But the bill warns that educators who fail to comply face disciplinary action, regardless of the child’s wishes.
“This is a violation of personal privacy and the legislation puts LGBT youth in harm’s way,” said DeAnne Cuellar of the advocacy group Equality Texas. “Teachers can’t effectively do their job if they’re worried about being penalised for not outing their students to their parents. Classrooms have always been a refuge and a safe space for students to confide in their mentors, their counsellors and teachers.”
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State senator files bill saying parents have right to all information
related to their child, saying it is intended to streamline existing
state law
Tom Dart in Houston
Wednesday 23 November 2016 16.32 GMT
LGBT rights activists in Texas fear that teachers will be forced to out pupils to their parents if proposed legislation becomes law next year.
Konni Burton, a Republican state senator from Fort Worth, filed the bill ahead of the 2017 legislative session. It asserts that parents have the right to all records and information related to their child, from test scores to details of their physical and mental health and “any general knowledge”.
Critics argue that if a child has confided in a teacher but not a parent it is probably because they fear harmful repercussions at home. But the bill warns that educators who fail to comply face disciplinary action, regardless of the child’s wishes.
“This is a violation of personal privacy and the legislation puts LGBT youth in harm’s way,” said DeAnne Cuellar of the advocacy group Equality Texas. “Teachers can’t effectively do their job if they’re worried about being penalised for not outing their students to their parents. Classrooms have always been a refuge and a safe space for students to confide in their mentors, their counsellors and teachers.”
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/23/texas-lgbt-rights-students-teachers-parents-bill
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