A bill, sponsored by Ann Kelley (r):

HB 634
Establishes protections of parental rights to direct the mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being of children
Sponsor: Kelley, Ann (127)
Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2023
LR Number: 0414H.02I
Last Action: 02/15/2023 – Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education(H)
Bill String: HB 634
Next House Hearing: Elementary and Secondary Education
Date: 3/1/2023 Time: 8:00AM Location: House Hearing Room 7 – Submit Testimony
Calendar: Bill currently not on a House calendar

There’s a committee hearing on Wednesday.

Seem innocuous? Not really. From the bill text [pdf]:

[….]
4. No classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties relating to sexual orientation or gender identity shall occur.
[….]

(2) If a concern is not resolved by the school under subdivision (1) of this subsection, a pupil’s parent may:

(a) Request the state board of education to appoint a neutral mediator from a list maintained by the department. Any mediator on such list shall be a member of the Missouri Bar in good standing and have at least five years of experience in administrative law. The mediator shall determine facts relating to the dispute over the school’s procedure or practice, consider information provided by the school, and render a recommended decision for resolution to the state board within fifteen days after receipt of the parent’s request for appointment of a mediator. The state board shall approve or reject the recommended decision at its next regularly scheduled meeting that is more than seven calendar days and no more than thirty days after the date the recommended decision is transmitted to the state board or at a meeting called by the state board president for the purpose of approving or rejecting such recommended decision. The costs of the mediator shall be borne by the school. The state board shall adopt rules and develop forms necessary to implement this paragraph;
or
(b) Bring an action against the school requesting a declaratory judgment that the school procedure or practice violates this section and seeking appropriate injunctive relief or actual damages, or both. A court may award damages and shall award reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs to a parent who receives declaratory or injunctive relief.
[….]

[emphasis added]

Because bullies in school always follow the “appropriate” guidelines as promulgated by the right wingnut majority in the Missouri House of Representatives?

“…The costs of the mediator shall be borne by the school…” Yep, that’ll ensure school administrators will always do the right thing for a child. Not.

Ann Kelley (r) really likes to micromanage K-12 schools.

Previously:

HB 1625: “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US” (December 4, 2021)

HB 1572: for crying out loud (December 5, 2021)