MADISON – Today, Republicans on the Assembly Committee on Education held a public hearing on AB 562 which would create a system for parents to opt students out of programming related to sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression. The bill was only circulated for co-sponsorship on Tuesday, September 14th. Republicans have rushed the bill through the process, already giving it a bill number, and now a public hearing. Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement:
“This bill suppresses the voices of our LGBTQ+ community and makes our schools less safe and less inclusive. Rushing through homophobic legislation like AB 562 sends the exact wrong message to our kids. My Republican colleagues who are supporting this bill should be ashamed of themselves for spreading these hateful, close-minded ideas born from harmful rhetoric.”
