CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Saturday, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 12, dubbed the "Parental Bill of Rights," which targets diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in public schools. Local advocates argue it puts LGBTQ+ students at greater risk.
SB 12, sponsored by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), focuses on parental rights in public education. "Texas parents, the primary educators and decision-makers in their children's lives, must have their rights clearly defined and protected in state law," Creighton wrote in a March press release.
The release stated: "SB 12 ensures classrooms remain focused on education, not indoctrination. It strengthens the ban on Critical Race Theory, closing loopholes that some districts have exploited. It also eliminates DEI mandates in hiring, training and school policies, because merit and hard work, not political agendas, should determine opportunity."
SB 12 now heads to Governor Greg Abbott's desk, and if signed into law, will go into effect September 1.
The bill contains several restrictions on gender and sexuality discussions in schools as well. "A school district, open-enrollment charter school, or district or charter school employee may not provide or allow a third party to provide instruction, guidance, activities, or programming regarding sexual orientation or gender identity to students enrolled in prekindergarten through 12th grade."
Hayden Cohen, state policy director for Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, testified against the bill. "There are three major parts that affect LGBT students most," Cohen told KRIS 6. "We have a ban on developing or implementing policies, procedures, training, activities, programs, anything taught to students about gender identity and sexual orientation."
The bill effectively prohibits LGBTQ+ student organizations, Cohen explained. "You can't have anything like a pride club or Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) all of those clubs kind of focusing on gender identity and sexual orientation, all of those are banned."
Cohen warned about provisions requiring parental notification, "This bill very explicitly states that a parent is entitled to access all written records from the school district, and that includes things like counseling records, psychological records." Cohen continues, "If a student told the school counselor something, that all can be reported to the parent."
"That one teacher that did respect your chosen name and your pronouns no longer can. This bill was set up just to do that very harm."
Kitana Sanchez, a board member with Corpus Christi Pride, expressed concern about the bill's impact. "Any type of bills that are trying to affect the LGBTQI+ community upsets me," Sanchez told KRIS 6. "I've been advocating for over 15 years, and whenever I hear these types of bills trying to be passed, it's very disheartening."
Sanchez, who works with transgender youth through the Coastal Bend Trans Alliance, noted worsening mental health: "Recently, with the current administration, I've seen an increase of just a lot of mental health issues now happening with the youth."
Sanchez reflected on her own experience with lacking clubs and extracurricular outlets adding, "I didn't have anybody to connect to in my hometown of Del Rio. For LGBTQI+ kids or young teens, not having that kind of resource is gonna just bring a lot more angst and mental health issues."
"All is not lost," Sanchez emphasized. "Perhaps in the school districts it may seem that way, but we are there for our youth." Sanchez adding that several local resources are there for the young people who need it such as Pride Corpus Christi/Mosaic Project events during Pride Month and throughout the year.
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