Lawmakers Question School District Leaders Over Gender Policies and Parental Rights

During a recent U.S. House of Education and Workforce Committee hearing, lawmakers scrutinized superintendents from Chicago, San Francisco, and Loudoun County Public Schools. The focus was on their districts’ gender policies and the involvement of parents in these matters. Key issues included whether school staff informed parents about student gender transitions and topics like ‘Drag Queen Story Hour.’ Superintendents refuted accusations of concealing information from parents.

Three Iowa teachers faced disciplinary measures for their participation in a student-organized drag show and subsequently reached a legal settlement. Jill Bjorklund, Mollie Jo Blahunka, and PJ Hurley filed discrimination lawsuits against Ankeny Community School District. This followed investigations initiated by the district in May 2022 after these teachers either approved or attended a drag show hosted by student Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) clubs at Ankeny High School and Southview Middle School. The event involved performances by youth drag artists from the Central Iowa Youth Pride Pageant.

The complaint detailed how students voluntarily attended and no one was harmed or offended by the event, nor was its educational purpose disrupted. However, controversy ensued once clips from the performance went viral, prompting the district to investigate. Ankeny Community Schools stated that the event lacked administrative approval and failed to adhere to correct protocols.

In response, Blahunka claimed she had discussed the event with the Ankeny High School activities director and secured the auditorium for the celebration alongside the Southview GSA club. Following the incident, the teachers were placed on leave, with Bjorklund and Blahunka being suspended for a few days the next school year. The district prohibited them from sponsoring future school activities and threatened termination in case of further violations. Additionally, the district filed ethics charges against them, but the Iowa Board of Education dismissed these charges.

The teachers filed a lawsuit, alleging discrimination against their support for LGBTQ students and retaliation infringing upon their First Amendment rights. Blahunka identified as queer, Hurley as gay, and Bjorklund as a mother of a transgender child. After extensive legal proceedings, both parties reached a settlement shortly before the trial set for July 20, 2023. The district agreed to pay $150,000, covering each teacher around $27,700 and $67,000 for attorneys’ fees.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ education bill SF 496, signed into law in May 2023, met with criticism as the ‘Don’t say LGBTQ law.’ It prohibits classroom instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation for Kindergarten through sixth-grade students. The law also mandates school staff to inform parents if students ask to use different names or pronouns and bans books with sexual content from K-12 libraries.