Alabama Senate committee passes bill about gender identity discussions in classrooms
'The logo of the Human Rights Campaign is an equal sign,' said Aaron De Jager, who is against the bill. 'Can we ban math teachers from using those equal signs?'
'It's extremely dangerous to propose this to youngsters,' said Ted Halley, who was advocating for the bill.
'This is a bill that does not accomplish anything besides further creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in school,' Paige Gant said.
The bill in question would prohibit the display of gender identity flags in classrooms. State Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, said the discussions are already banned in kindergarten through fifth grade.
'There is clearly a dissatisfaction with what we are doing in public education,' Butler said. 'One of the biggest complaints I hear from parents is the 'woke' ideology and the sexualization of our children, and I would encourage you to pass this bill.'
Mark Kerr came to Alabama to make a name for himself in the UFC. He left as 'The Smashing Machine'
The bill would also make it unlawful for teachers to refer to students using pronouns that are different than the student's biological sex. As an educator, state Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, said lawmakers cannot legislate morality.
'The substance of a bill that basically says that 'This is what happens when your fears gain a hearing,' and then people get invalidated,' Hatcher said.
Hatcher said people should be able to make decisions about gender identity for themselves.
'People may be engaging in this kind of thoughtful conversation around what they might choose to do,' Hatcher said. 'As for our body, I don't think that this is the place for us if we are actually going to be serious about governing.'
But Butler said students will still be able to make their own decisions.
'When a student enters a school, they still carry with them their First Amendment rights,' Butler said. 'They can absolutely talk to a nurse, a teacher or a counselor — whoever they want. This is banning classroom discussions of such.'
State Sen. Donnie Chasteen (R-Geneva), the committee's chairman, told Butler in the meeting he can't make any promises about getting the bill to the Senate floor. That's because there are only four days left in the session.
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Boston Globe
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Clashes are ongoing in at least six areas along the border, the Thai Defense Ministry said. The first clash Thursday morning happened in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. Advertisement Here's what to know about the dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. How the dispute began The dispute flared in May after armed forces of Thailand and Cambodia briefly fired at each other in a relatively small, contested border area that each country claims as its own. Both sides said they acted in self-defense. One Cambodian soldier was killed. While the countries said afterwards they agreed to de-escalate the situation, Cambodian and Thai authorities continued to implement or threaten measures short of armed force, keeping tensions high. Thailand added tight restrictions at the border with Cambodia that stopped almost all crossings except for students, medical patients and others with essential needs. On Thursday, Thai authorities announced they were sealing the border entirely. Cambodia also banned Thai movies and TV shows, stopped the import of Thai fuel, fruits and vegetables and boycotted some of its neighbor's international internet links and power supply. Advertisement Fighting sparks political turmoil in Thailand Nationalist passions on both sides have inflamed the situation. Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office July 1 to be investigated for possible ethics violations over her handling of the border dispute following a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian leader. In the June call, Paetongtarn referred to Cambodian former Prime Minister Hun Sen as 'uncle' and criticized Thai military leadership, remarks framed by critics as disrespectful to national sovereignty. Hun Sen was succeeded by his son Hun Manet in 2023 but remains influential as Senate president. He was a longtime friend of her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, a popular but divisive former prime minister, but they became estranged over the border dispute. The leaked call sparked widespread outrage and protests. Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party-led coalition also weakened when its second-largest partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, withdrew support, citing her perceived softness toward Cambodia. Paetongtarn has apologized and argued her comments were a negotiating tactic. Her ally, former Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, was appointed acting prime minister. Border claims cause periodic tensions Border disputes are long-standing issues that have caused periodic tensions between the two neighbors. Thailand and Cambodia share more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) of land border. The contesting claims stem largely from a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule that was used to separate Cambodia from Thailand. Cambodia has been using the map as a reference to claim territory, while Thailand has argued the map is inaccurate. The most prominent and violent conflicts have been around the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty over the temple area to Cambodia. The ruling became a major irritant in bilateral relations. Advertisement Cambodia went back to the court in 2011, following several clashes between its army and Thai forces that killed about 20 people and displaced thousands. The court reaffirmed the ruling in Cambodia's favor in 2013. Cambodia has again turned to the international court to resolve the border disputes but Thailand has rejected the court's jurisdiction.
