Parents, readers weigh in on HB 1775 concerns

After two Oklahoma school districts were penalized for violating House Bill 1775, educators in Oklahoma are expressing concerns over limitations the law has placed on their ability to discuss race and gender in the classroom.

This week, we asked parents and readers to weigh in on what concerns them about HB 1775. Here are some of their responses:

"My children are grown, but I have grandchildren in school. My concern is not how teachers discuss race and gender in the classroom but rather what they are NOT able to discuss. Children need to be exposed to different and divergent viewpoints, now our teachers are fearful for their licenses to bring up subjects that should be discussed within an educational setting. There are historical, literary and societal issues and ideas regarding gender and race that are so important — children need to be made aware of them in an educational setting. They need to learn that other people are different, think differently, live differently and have different family histories. That doesn’t make anyone wrong, just different. If teachers cannot discuss issues because someone may be uncomfortable, where will children learn about these issues? We need to give our teachers the respect they are due and allow them to teach."

— Catherine Fischer, Norman

"I find Oklahoma's HB 1775 law both ethically abhorrent and factually ignorant. I trust our teachers to be truthful, and explain that no nation is totally without fault, and that no nation exceeds ours in a continued effort to expand human rights."

— Bert Rackett, Oklahoma City

"Teachers should stick to the curriculum. What do race and gender have to do with a math or science lesson? At one point in my life, I taught history. Race and gender never entered into it. The textbooks were about events, people, wars, etc. Teachers should be role models and show respect for all students and treat each of them equally."

— Ben Gadd, Oklahoma City

"Concerned about why our lawmakers don't trust our educators more. The law is ridiculous."

— Jessica O'Daniel, Shawnee

"The rise of blatant fascism is kind of scary, I guess."

— Philip Moll, Oklahoma City

"It's a disgusting, racist, and political bill."

— Joe Price, Tulsa

"I am a Boy Scout out of the Last Frontier Council in Oklahoma City. My topic is the banning of books. I would like to know why so many historical books and books about certain things are getting removed from public and school libraries around the country. A lot of these books are older books that deal with topics such as racism and slavery. I believe that past mistakes should not be covered up and forgotten. I think that as George Santayana said, 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' These resources should be available so that people can learn from the mistakes of the past. Some of the other books being banned are about sexuality and sexual lifestyles and the study of sex. I feel that these resources should be available so that people are aware of what happens and maybe how to avoid it and protect themselves and others from it."

— Owen Marler, Oklahoma City

"Because of HB 1775, I am concerned that teachers lose their freedom to challenge students to face the possibility of implicit bias and unconscious oppressive behaviors. My child’s public school system purports to be 'Shaping Today's Students Into Tomorrow's Leaders!' However, without addressing these biases and behaviors, we may shape our students into legislators who, unaware of their own biases, create laws that perpetuate inequalities; into health care providers whose implicit bias contributes to racial health disparities; into adults too afraid to talk about race or who do not know how to have a respectful, compassionate discussion on the topic because our hardworking teachers have their hands tied. 

I am concerned students will miss a key opportunity to develop empathy. Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of another person. Many of our neighbors already feel discomfort because of their race or gender. To understand their experience, we, too, should attempt to feel that discomfort. I am concerned teachers could lose their freedom to push students to imagine what it might be like to experience discrimination just for existing (Mustang), to be ripped from family and sent to an Indian boarding school, or to be a trans kid who just wants to play sports or use the bathroom in this 'anti-discriminatory' school system.

I am concerned HB 1775 will be applied in practice to mean 'make sure privileged kids don’t feel uncomfortable' rather than addressing the very real discrimination and discomfort experienced by racial and sexual minorities."

— Kerry Farrell, Oklahoma City

The Public Square is a Viewpoints feature that seeks engagement from readers to questions on various issues of the day. Follow The Oklahoman on Facebook and on Twitter @TheOklahoman_ for weekly prompts for The Public Square.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Parents, readers weigh in on HB 1775 concerns