The proposed law, Senate Bill 1456, would have barred all discussions about gender identity, sexual orientation or HIV/AIDS in sex education classes unless parents are notified in advance and specifically opt in for the instruction.
The strength of local teacher's unions, the percentage of Trump voters, and demographics—not the severity of COVID outbreaks—appear to be driving school reopening decisions, researcher says.
“The Kentucky Student Voice Team is devastated to learn...that so many members of our state Senate do not support such a basic expression of student and educator voice,” the team said in statement after the full Senate vote.
Governor Reeves said on Twitter that the bill would “protect young girls from being forced to compete with biological males for athletic opportunities.”
President Joe Biden predicted that most elementary schools will be open five days a week by the end of his first 100 days in office, but said it will be tougher for high schools to reopen at the same rate because of the risk of infection.
At the outset of COVID, District Administrator Mark Weddig and his team decided online learning had to resemble live, in-person instruction as closely as possible.
In the first few weeks of 2021, state legislators have introduced a wave of new bills designed to expand or create new voucher, tax credit and education savings account programs.
