Oklahoma Senate Bill SB932

Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/23
• Refer: 2/7/23

Caption

Education; prohibiting certain employees, volunteers, and contractors from using certain names or pronouns without written consent. Effective date. Emergency.

Impact

The impact of SB932 would be significant on existing educational practices and could reshape the dynamics within classrooms across the state. By enforcing strict naming and pronoun usage tied to biological sex, schools may see a retraction of inclusive practices that support transgender and non-binary students. Additionally, if institutions fail to comply with these provisions, they risk losing state funding, which presents a major financial incentive for adherence and could deter schools from fostering inclusive environments.

Summary

Senate Bill 932 aims to establish regulations regarding the use of names and pronouns in educational settings, specifically targeting employees, volunteers, and contractors within schools and institutions of higher education in Oklahoma. The bill mandates that these individuals are prohibited from using any name or pronoun that does not align with the name on a student's birth certificate or their biological sex without explicit written consent from a parent or legal guardian. This requirement extends to both addressing students under the age of eighteen and potentially affects staff in their interactions with students.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding the bill include concerns regarding students' personal identities and the principles of parental involvement in educational contexts. Critics may argue that the bill infringes on the rights and identities of students by enforcing traditional definitions of gender and requiring consent for identity affirmation. Supporters, however, may advocate that the legislation protects parental rights and upholds biological definitions, leading to polarized opinions on the role of schools in issues of gender identity.