Fox 5: Kemp signs bills targeting 'divisive concepts' in schools, trans girls playing sports
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a series of seven education bills into law Thursday morning at the Forsyth County Arts and Learning Center in Cumming.
A handful of them have drawn a lot of attention, including a bill aimed at Critical Race Theory. The measure bans the teaching of nine "divisive concepts" in Georgia classrooms, including that the United States is "fundamentally racist." That bill also tasks the Georgia High School Association with deciding whether transgender girls should be allowed to participate in school sports.
"I believe that oftentimes government in the past has been very reactive," said state Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville, who sponsored the divisive concepts legislation. "I believe what this is able to do is try to drown out the national media that has tried to politicize these type of things, be proactive before it becomes ingrained in our classrooms and allow parents and teachers and the school systems to keep children at the center and not allow those things to creep in."
11 Alive: Law signed by Gov. Kemp limits who can file complaints on school library books
Gov. Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 226 into law on Thursday, answering the question of how schools deal with someone objecting to a book or material in the school library.
Prior to SB 226 becoming law, anyone in Coweta County could make a complaint. Under policy, the complaint goes to the media committee made up of parents and teachers for review.
"In my view, [lawmakers are] taking these, really heated sometimes, debates that are going on all over our country. They're actually tackling it, and they're coming down on the side of students and teachers and parents. That's not a bad place to be," Jackson added.
Other signed bills will require the removal of obscene materials from school libraries, ensure transparency at school board meetings, double on the current donation cap for student scholarships, create a committee that will look at ways to ensure student financial literacy and allow retired teachers to return to the classroom full-time in areas with high demand.
“Making sure parents have the ultimate say in their child’s education should not be controversial,” he added.
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