House Bill 466 prohibits any school employee from "discussing his own sexual orientation or gender identity." So a teacher married to someone of the opposite sex would not be able to talk about the spouse, because doing so would be a discussion of the teacher's sexual orientation.
If Teacher A can discuss an opposite sex spouse but Teacher B with a same-sex spouse can't, Teacher B must say "Sorry, I can't tell you about my spouse." Every teacher would therefore have to say "sorry, I can't tell you about my spouse," so that none gives a clue about their sexual orientation or flags that of another teacher who might be subject to the gag rule.
HB 466 also says "No school employee shall use pronouns for a student that differ from pronouns that reflect the sex indicated on the student's birth certificate unless the student's parent provides written permission." But how is an employee to know what sex is indicated on the student's birth certificate unless the student carries a copy of the birth certificate at all times? This would mandate every student, from kindergarten through 12th grade, to carry a birth certificate at all times in case there's a question about the student's pronouns.
This bill is mean-spirited and unenforceable. Louisiana has better things to do than mandate who must carry a birth certificate and dictate which teacher can say what when asked a question.
Our schools have real problems, and our children suffer a crisis in their education. Dictating what teacher can discuss their marital status and forcing children to carry legal documents will not help our kids read better or graduate on time. Let's solve real problems instead of fomenting hate.
MARJORIE R. ESMAN
New Orleans