COLORADO (KOAA) — New voices opposing a transgender rights bill taking shape in the state legislature are educators from Southern Colorado.
Lawmakers in Denver are considering whether to pass the Kelly Loving Act, which specifically focuses on the rights of minors.
It is named after a victim of the Club Q shooting.
Ahead of a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday afternoon, nearly 100 education leaders sent a letter, asking the Senate to consider how the bill places schools "at the center of contentious legal and social debates and undermines school districts' local control."
If the bill were to pass, it would classify intentionally dead-naming or misgendering them as discriminatory acts, even if they are coming from the child's parent or guardian. Dead-naming is when a child's previous name is used rather than their chosen name.
It would also mandate that schools with chosen-name policies include transgender students' preferred names and prohibit gender-specific dress codes.
Among the people who signed the letter opposing the bill are School Board Members from the following school districts:
- Colorado Springs School District 11
- Academy School District 20
- Pueblo County School District 70
These educators say the bill undermines parental rights, as well as the district's ability to create its policies when it comes to dress code and chosen names. They also say in most instances, these new requirements would create administrative challenges such as a change to a child's name when it comes to record keeping.
You can read the letter and view the education leaders opposed to the bill below:
It's important to note that those who signed the letter say they are speaking in their capacity as individuals, not for their employer. Lawmakers have exactly one week to pass this bill before the legislative session ends.
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