Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana signed a bill into law last week that protects freedom of speech and conscience in government schools. These schools cannot force employees or students to refer to males as “she,” or vice versa, or by inaccurate names if doing so conflicts with their religious beliefs or their conscience.
The new law goes into effect on August 1.
The legislature noted that the Fourteenth Amendment “protects the right of parents to direct the care, upbringing, education, and welfare of their children.” The U.S. Supreme Court held that the Due Process Clause “does not permit a State to infringe on the fundamental right of parents to make child rearing decisions simply because a state judge believes a ‘better’ decision.”
Matt Sharp, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, commended lawmakers and the governor for protecting the rights of Louisiana’s residents.
“No one should lose their job or face punishment at school for declining to say something they believe is false,” he said. “Words and language carry meaning, and when used properly, they communicate truth about the world…. Now and always, there are only two sexes—male and female—and denying this basic, scientific truth not only rejects reality but hurts kids.”
Photo credit: By Jim Plylar – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, link
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