Colorado GOP urges parents to pull kids from public schools over new gender identity law

DENVER (CITC) — The Colorado Republican Party is calling on parents to remove their children from public schools in response to a new state law pertaining to students' gender identities.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed HB24-1039 into law on April 29. Under the new law, public schools are required to honor students' "chosen" names, which it defines as differing from legal names and reflecting their gender identities. The legislation does not explicitly require parental consent for such moves and labels any intentional refusal to use a student's "chosen" name as discrimination.

Several transgender students advocated for the legislation at a Colorado House Education Committee hearing in February. Sam Charney told lawmakers at the time legal name changes are often expensive, and HB24-1039 would give students "the tools to be able to live their authentic self."

However, in a statewide email Tuesday, the Colorado Republican Party condemned the law and argued students seeking to use "chosen" names "should be treated rather than encouraged."

"The goal here is clear; the Colorado legislature seeks to break down the family unit while convincing kids that government knows best," the email continues.

In the email, the Colorado Republican Party includes a "religious exemption" resolution for school boards seeking to opt out of enforcing the law. The resolution states HB24-1039 "ignores" constitutional rights of parents and teachers and requires that any educator found to be violating "a religious exemption" must be subject to their district's discrimination policies.

"We encourage all school districts in Colorado to adopt the resolution, or some form of this resolution, to show the state that Freedom of Religion and our First Amendment rights to Freedom of Speech will not be violated," the email reads. "Please reach out if you need assistance passing this resolution in your district to protect staff, parents and most importantly Colorado children, from government overreach and harmful fetishization of children by the State of Colorado's legislature."

READ MORE | 'Intentionally misgendering' classmates is 'a form of harassment,' Colorado school board member claims

Lawmakers in other states have proposed approaches similar to what the Colorado Republican Party is pushing for. In March, Pennsylvania state Rep. Joe D'Orsie, R-Manchester, introduced legislation making school districts unable to discipline a teacher who refrains from using a student's preferred pronouns as long as there is believed to be an "absence of malice." The bill has yet to receive a formal vote.

A Maine bill requiring parental permission for students to use preferred names or pronouns in school failed to become law last year. The legislation largely received Republican lawmaker support.

Have something for the Crisis in the Classroom team to investigate? Call or text the national tip line at 202-417-7273.

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