Homophobic Arizona sex ed law so poorly-written they accidentally banned telling kids about heterosexual marriage

House and Senate lawmakers in Arizona have recently passed legislation that bans teachers from discussing or teaching anything regarding "sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression" without getting signed permission from a parent. Also included in the list of topics deemed "unteachable" without written parental consent: anything regarding HIV or AIDS. This includes mentioning or discussing people like computer scientist Alan Turing, astronaut Sally Ride, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Republican Governor Doug Ducey also signed into law Senate Bill 1456, which would ban sex education of any kind until students reach fifth grade.

The bill is so poorly written that a plain reading of it means that any teaching or discussion of sexual orientation requires advanced consent from the parent. Sexual orientation includes heterosexuality, which means that any teaching about, for example, heterosexual marriages.

The bill updates current law to read: "A public educational institution shall obtain signed, written consent from a student's parent or guardian before…PROVIDING SEX EDUCATION INSTRUCTION OR INSTRUCTION REGARDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR GENDER EXPRESSION TO THE STUDENT. WHEN THE PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION SEEKS CONSENT, IT SHALL AT THE SAME TIME INFORM THE STUDENT'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN'S RIGHT TO REVIEW THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND ACTIVITIES."

via The New Civil Rights Movement

The bill is probably unconstitutional — and probably violates Biden's administrative policies — so the Department of Education could end up suing the state and withholding funding.