Indiana House passes bill requiring schools post curriculum online

(Margaret Menge | The Center Square) – The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill this week requiring teachers post all curricular materials on a website for parents to see, and it would prohibit schools from teaching that any group of people is inherently racist or sexist, or superior or inferior to any other group.

The Indiana State Teachers Association and Democratic legislators opposed the bill, but it passed 60-37, with a handful of Republicans voting “no” along with Democrats.

Rep. Tony Cook, R-Cicero, the author of the bill and a former Hamilton County teacher, principal, and superintendent, said his goal was to try to find a “middle ground” where parents can have more involvement.

“They have a right to be an active voice in their schools,” he said. “They feel they are not heard. Many, in many schools…feel like they are not heard, they’re put off by access to information and materials. We’ve heard hundreds and hundreds of those stories.”

The bill does not prohibit the Social Emotional Learning curriculum that has come under fire from many parents’ groups in the state but does address other issues that have been raised at school board meetings.

House Bill 1134 would remove the defense to criminal prosecution that schools and public libraries now have related to “sexually explicit” material and disseminating material that is judged to be harmful to minors.

In terms of curriculum, it would require that schools post a bibliography by Aug. 1 each year on an online portal that would list all books to be read during the year. It would also require teachers to post materials they are using in lessons and would give parents an opportunity to opt-out of some lessons.

It also addresses the issue of surveys administered to students by third parties, saying third parties are prohibited from maintaining that information in a way that would identify individual students.

It would also require schools to establish a “consent procedure” to get the OK from parents before administering mental, social-emotional, or psychological services to a student. It also says schools must get a parent’s consent before having a student participate in a “personal analysis, an evaluation, or a survey” that reveals or attempts to change a student’s attitudes, habits, traits, opinions, beliefs, or feelings.