Transparency In Our Schools

There’s no doubt issues of transparency in the classroom are top of mind for many Hoosier families, and lawmakers have responded by offering House Bill 1134 this session.

This week, a new version of HB 1134 was unveiled that streamlines the bill’s focus on curriculum transparency and empowering parents while addressing previous concerns raised by educators.

Among other items, the new HB 1134 outlines three divisive concepts that cannot be promoted in our schools. It also addresses parents’ concerns by ensuring they have access to their school’s learning management system and allowing them to review any other learning materials used in their child’s classroom upon request. In addition, it empowers parents to be in control of decisions regarding ongoing mental-health services provided to their kids at school.

To address concerns from educators, the new HB 1134 removes overly proscriptive posting requirements and provides clarity on what mental-health services require parental approval. It also no longer requires schools to create curriculum advisory committees, though it does allow for the creation of these committees if the school and community think they would be beneficial. 

I believe the vast majority of teachers do a great job educating students. At the same time, we cannot simply ignore the concerns of parents who have experienced instances when their child’s education needlessly strayed from reading, writing and math into divisive concepts that have no place in our classrooms.

I am open to further changes to this bill as it moves through the legislative process, but I am pleased to see progress being made.

A list of frequently asked questions on the new HB 1134 can be found at https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/new-hb-1134

Sen. Phil Boots represents Montgomery, Fountain, Parke, Vermillion and Warren counties and a portion of Boone County. He is one of the shareholders of The Paper of Montgomery County.