Bill to protect school children from being indoctrinated in LGBTQ+ lifestyles passes out of committee

April 9, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL. - the Alabama House Education Policy Committee gave a favorable report to legislation that would protect children from schoolteachers indoctrinating K-12 students in pro-LGBTQ+ lifestyles including gender transitioning.

House Bill 244 (HB 244) is sponsored by State Representative Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City). If passed, it would expand the state's existing ban on sexualizing children and promoting LGBTQ+ doctrines to include junior high and high school teachers. The legislation would also forbid gay pride flags and other pro LGBTQ+ posters and propaganda from being displayed on classroom walls.

"HB244 is an expansion of what we passed last year with just a couple of tweaks," Butler explained to the committee. "The biggest one is that we had K-12 last year, it was amended on the floor to K-8. This one is pre-K through 12."

President Donald J. Trump (R) has issued an executive order banning radical indoctrination. Butler said that the bill is necessary for the state to be in compliance with the President's order.

"We're trying to get as close as we could to President Trump's executive order," Butler said.

According to the synopsis, "Under existing law, classroom instruction or discussions regarding gender identity or sexual orientation may not be provided to public school students in kindergarten through fifth grade in a manner that is not age or developmentally appropriate or is not in accordance with state standards. This bill would prohibit classroom instruction or discussions related to gender identity or sexual orientation from being provided to public school students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. This bill would prohibit public preK-12 teachers and education employees from displaying a flag or insignia relating to sexual orientation or gender identity on school property."

As introduced, "This bill would also prohibit public preK-12 teachers and education employees from referring to a student by pronouns inconsistent with the student's biological sex at birth."

That section dealing with pronouns was struck in committee by amendment.

The bill as amended is now in a position where it could potentially be addressed by the full House of Representatives.

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