Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, filed two bills addressing the growing concern for Oklahoma parents – the indoctrination of their children in school classrooms and on college campuses.

The first deals with sexually-graphic books in public schools, public charter schools, and school libraries while the second tackles diversity course requirements in colleges and universities.

“The purpose of our common education system is to teach students about math, history, science and other core areas of learning—all of which are further expanded on in college as students pursue their fields of interest,” Standridge said. “Our education system is not the place to teach moral lessons that should instead be left up to parents and families. Unfortunately, however, more and more schools are trying to indoctrinate students by exposing them to gender, sexual and racial identity curriculums and courses.”

Senate Bill 1142 prohibits the study of sex, sexual preferences, sexual activity, sexual perversion, sex-based classifications, sexual identity, gender identity, or books that contain content of a sexual nature that a reasonable parent or legal guardian would want to know about or approve of before their child was exposed to it. The bill allows a student’s parent or legal guardian who believes a book violates this bill to submit a written request to the school district superintendent or charter school administrator to remove it within 30 days. If not removed during that time, the employee tasked with the book’s removal would be dismissed or not reemployed, subject to due process provisions, and he or she could not be employed by a public school district or public charter school for two years.

Senate Bill 1141 prohibits institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education from requiring students to enroll in a course, that is not a core requirement of their chosen curriculum, addressing any form of gender, sexual, or racial diversity, equality, or inclusion curriculum beginning with the 2022-23 academic year.