Eileen Bilodeau

This bill is inherently dangerous in that it severely impedes students to develop critical thinking skills by preventing them from learning about a broader worldview or opposing ideologies and allowing them to form their own opinions, beliefs, and decisions. Additionally, what is the standard for determining what constitutes "individual merit" versus "personal identity ideology" and who makes that determination? This bill is just another example of the legislature inserting itself into the education system to eliminate and discriminate against any social group that is deemed illegal, immoral, or undesirable by the political majority. Lastly, the prohibition on declaring "a gender identity or preferred pronouns in any form of communication" is targeted solely at transgender individuals. Whether we are cisgender or transgender, we all have a gender identity and pronouns that we ascribe to our gender. Are the terms "male/female," "he/she," and "him/her" going to be banned? Let's call out this bill for what it is--plain ol' bigotry.