Amended House Bill 1134 Passes Through Senate Education Committee

The controversial bill would restrict what is said/taught in public school classrooms.

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INDIANAPOLIS – A controversial school education bill is one step closer to law. 

The Senate Education Committee voted 8-5 on Wednesday to send House Bill 1134 to the full Senate for consideration.

The controversial bill would restrict what could be said within public school classrooms, regarding "divisive concepts" related to race, gender, and religion.

Bill sponsor Linda Rogers (R-Granger) last week released her proposed amendment plans. Following Wednesday's vote, three key concepts remain. 

• Schools may not teach to three specific concepts that stereotype people based on sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color and national origin. With the amendment, schools could not teach that:
  • One group is inherently superior or inferior to another;
  • One group should be treated adversely or preferentially; and
  • Individuals, by virtue of their traits, are inherently responsible for the past actions of others who share their traits.

The original bill would have required school corporations or qualified schools to add functionality that allows parents of students in the school corporation to opt in or opt out of certain educational activities and curricular materials under certain conditions.

However, House Bill 1134 no longer allows for parents to broadly opt out of lessons or sue school districts. Parents would, however, still have access to learning management systems to view curriculum and review materials upon request. 

A requirement for teachers to post their lesson plans and learning materials at the beginning of the school year has been removed. 

One other change eliminates the required formation of a curricular review committee made up of mostly parents but creates a pathway for parents to request a school board to adopt one.

Other amendments were proposed on Wednesday including a proposal from Sen. Eddie Melton, who proposed requiring high school history classes to include an enhance study of Black History. That amendment and several others were voted down.

Overall, House Bill 1134 was voted on across party lines with the exception of Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg), who voted no with Democratic members.

Supporters say the bill would give parents more say in schools. Oppositions believe the bill will prevent the teaching of certain historical facts at all levels K-12. 

ISTA President Keith Gambill released the following statement in response to the Senate Education Committee voting to approve HB 1134.

“Hoosier educators, parents, students and others, from a broad cross section of the state, made it clear in testimony and in their conversations with legislators that this bill is not necessary and will divide communities, as well as parent-teacher partnerships. The foundations of this bill remain grounded on a false narrative that teachers can’t be trusted. ISTA will continue to stand with the vast majority of Hoosiers to defeat this bill.”

To follow more happenings with House Bill 1134, visit Indiana General Assembly, 2022 Session.