After holding its first meeting of the year on January 18 to discuss Senate Bill 49, known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) board ultimately decided not to comply with the law, prompting backlash from the state’s superintendent.
The bill requires public schools to notify parents of changes in students’ legal names or pronouns, while also requiring schools to inform a parent or guardian about their child’s physical and mental health, including any school health-care services the students use.
The bill also explicitly bans the inclusion of topics such as gender identity, sexual activity or sexuality in kindergarten through fourth grade.
Upon learning that CHCCS had elected not to comply with the Parents’ Bill of Rights, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt singled out the district in a tweet.
“You may not break the laws you don’t like—even in Chapel Hill,” Truitt wrote.” I worked with the legislature to pass the Parents’ Bill of Rights to protect children and empower parents, and it’s unacceptable for Chapel Hill or anyone else to ignore it.”
The Parents’ Bill of Rights became law in August after the General Assembly overrode Governor Roy Cooper’s veto.
Senior and co-president of the CHHS Queer-Straight Alliance club Ella Smith spoke to the school board on January 18 about the potential harm the district’s implementation of the bill may cause students.
“The point of high school is to learn how to find your own path and set yourself up to be the best version of yourself. This bill will prevent that from happening,” Smith told board members.
Smith felt that she could not stand back and watch her peers be attacked by the new legislation, compelling Smith to speak at the board meeting.
“As co-president of our school’s Queer-Straight Alliance, I could not stand by idly when club members and other students at the school felt threatened by Senate Bill 49,” Smith said. “I am lucky to be in a situation where I can publicly oppose legislation, so I wrote and gave a statement on behalf of those who cannot safely take a stand.”
Senior QSA member William Droog explained that the effects of the implementation of the bill would be destructive for students.
“I feel that the contents of the bill, if they had been implemented as the state intended, would have been devastating for those in our district, especially when it comes to feeling that [students] can be open about being a part of the LGBTQ community and having a support network,” Droog said.
Junior Hannah Dellon also spoke at the board meeting, explaining that Senate Bill 49 will have adverse effects on those exploring their gender identity.
“Allowing kids to explore who they are and their gender identity will not hurt them. What may hurt is repressing who they are to appease a bunch of adults who may think they know what’s best,” Dellon told the Board.
Board Chair George Griffin recommended that the school board not act by parts of the bill, specifically those regarding pronouns and gender identity.
“We have so many amazing staff in our district who are living our core values every day, and we plan to continue supporting them in their work with all students,” Griffin said. “As for how this will affect our district, our hope is that others will see the value in putting student welfare first.”
According to The News and Observer, most school districts across the state have chosen to fully comply with the new law, including Durham Public Schools and Wake County Public School System.
Ultimately, CHCCS schools will comply with the new law except for the part about pronoun, name and gender identity changes; the district has also declined to eliminate curricula regarding gender identity or sexuality in kindergarten through fourth grade.
Opponents of the bill, most of whom are educators, believe the law will alter the relationship between teachers and students, while also outing LGBTQ+ students.
Droog explained that while the bill does directly affect students in the district, it is a part of a much larger issue.
“I also feel that Senate Bill 49 stems from a much larger issue of widespread anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation across the country,” Droog said.
CHCCS Director of Communications Andy Jenks discussed how the board will work to comply with the new bill in the future.
“Our board decided to decline to adopt these blanket provisions, but instead have the district administration provide written guidance that allows for more flexibility and more personal attentiveness to how each unique circumstance may be addressed should it come up in the future,” Jenks said.
