Indiana blocks schools from keeping students' gender identity secret from parents

On Thursday, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law that mandates a school inform a parent when their child goes into a classroom and asks to be referred to by a different name or pronouns that do not correspond to their sex.

The Associated Press reports Holcomb said in a statement, "I believe in parental rights. I also just believe it's common sense that sex education should not be taught in prekindergarten through third grade." 

GOP Representative Michelle Davis, who authored the bill, said it will "ensure Hoosier parents are in the driver’s seat when it comes to introducing sensitive topics to their kids."

"I continue to hear from constituents who are concerned about what their kids are being taught in the classroom, and that they’re being left out of important discussions with their children," Davis said. "This new law will also increase transparency by requiring that parents be notified if their child is struggling with their gender identity at school."

The law goes into effect July 1 and requires that if a child asks to be referred to by a different name or pronouns that the school has 5 business days to send the parents a written notification.

The law also keeps conversations about sexuality out of elementary school classrooms between kindergarten through third grade, and was erroneously dubbed the "don't say gay" bill by activists, similar to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education legislation.

On Thursday, Holcomb signed another bill into law, which goes into effect on July 1, that removes sexually inappropriate and pornographic books from public school libraries.

The law mandates that public school librarians must make public a list of the books they provide in their spaces. It also prohibits the legal defense of allowing pornographic materials into school libraries under the context of "educational" value.