TELL IOWA LEGISLATURE: HANDS OFF LGBT SCHOOL CHILDREN

Tell the Iowa legislature that using school children as weapons to further a political agenda is unconscionable and will not be tolerated. The bill which would remove protections for LGBT children from bullying, 2291 is in the House Education subcommittee and being considered by:

Rep. Dennis M. Cohoon(D)
E-mail: dennis.cohoon@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 816 Randall Lane, P.O. Box 157, Burlington, IA, 52601
Home Telephone: 319-752-5057

Rep. Annette Sweeney(R)
E-mail: annette.sweeney@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 21547 Hwy S27, Alden, IA, 50006
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221

Rep. Phyllis Thede(D)
E-mail: phyllis.thede@legis.state.ia.us
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221

Sample email

Dear Representative

I am writing to express my objection to Bill 2291 which would remove protections currently in place for LGBT school children from bullying and harassment. This proposed bill is doubly odious because it would in essence use innocent children as weapons in pursuit of a political agenda.

Please do not pass this bill for consideration.

Thank you,


Bill Text after Back ground

Source: Iowa Independent A pair of Republican state legislators has introduced a bill that would remove protections for gay, lesbian and transgender students from an anti-bullying law passed in 2007.

State Reps. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, and Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, sponsored the legislation to remove sexual orientation and gender identity as definitions used for purposes of protecting students in public and nonpublic schools from harassment and bullying.

Schultz told NBC affiliate WHO-TV that the rationale behind the move is to force a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, since the Iowa Supreme Court pointed to laws like Iowa’s Safe Schools Law in making its April decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Ryan Roemerman, executive director of Iowa Pride Network, said the bill would open up LGBT students to bullying and harassment.

“When our state is facing record budget deficits and unemployment, House Republicans feel their time is best spent picking on Iowa’s LGBT youth,” Roemerman said in a statement. “There is no better example as to why we have this law, so youth in Iowa don’t grow up to be like these bigots.”

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House File 2291 - Introduced

HOUSE FILE
BY SCHULTZ and WINDSCHITL

A BILL FOR

1 An Act relating to protected traits or characteristics of
2 students under public and nonpublic school harassment and
3 bullying prohibitions and policies.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
TLSB 6059YH (4) 83
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PAG LIN

1 1 Section 1. Section 280.28, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code
1 2 2009, is amended to read as follows:
1 3 c. "Trait or characteristic of the student" includes but
1 4 is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race,
1 5 religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender
1 6 identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or
1 7 disability, ancestry, political party preference, political
1 8 belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.
1 9 EXPLANATION
1 10 This bill strikes sexual orientation and gender identity
1 11 from the definition of the term "trait or characteristic of the
1 12 student" used for purposes of protecting students in public and
1 13 nonpublic schools from harassment and bullying.
LSB 6059YH (4) 83
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