Texas Republicans Push to Outlaw LGBTQ+ Pride Celebrations in Schools

Texan Republicans have proposed a bill to make recognizing LGBTQ+ Pride illegal in schools.

The GOP-controlled 88th legislature has filed 140 bills targeting LGBTQ+ Texans, according to Equality Texas. On Tuesday, the Texas House Public Education Committee heard a measure addressing pride events at public schools.

According to state Rep. Ken King, House Bill 1507 bans Texas educators from having events “dedicated to celebrating or providing special instruction regarding a sexual preference.”

Violations can also be punished with fines ranging from $500 to $10,000, and teachers who enable these programs can be dismissed or have their licenses revoked.

A popular conservative talking point is that teaching children to be affirming and accepting of others is brainwashing them, which King argued his bill is supposed to prevent, the Athens Daily Review reports.

“We’re trying to protect our traditional public schools and open enrollment charter schools,” King said. “It doesn’t matter what group it is, indoctrination is a thing, and we need to stop all of it and go back to teaching in schools and protect our traditional ISDs.”