CHARLESTON — In a lengthy session marked by delays including the full reading of numerous bills, the West Virginia House of Delegates passed several socially charged measures, including one restricting discussions about transgender issues in schools and mandating that teachers inform parents if a student identifies as transgender.
Late Friday evening, the House voted 82-17 in favor of Senate Bill 154, which prohibits instruction on sexual orientation in public schools, sending it back to the Senate to seek concurrence on amendments.
SB 154 restricts instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. It also prohibits schools from withholding information from a parent or guardian regarding a student’s gender identity or transition. If a student requests accommodations that affirm a gender identity different from their biological sex, such as using a different name or pronouns, the school is required to notify the parent.
The bill outlines complaint procedures, potential disciplinary actions for violations, and mandates that the state Board of Education create rules for its implementation. The Attorney General would have the authority to enforce the law.
However, the bill includes specific exceptions, such as when a student asks a question or when the topic is mentioned in a historical or disciplinary context.
“The committee substitute for Senate Bill 154 creates a new provision that would prohibit public schools from providing any instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity,” stated Delegate Elias Coop-Gonzalez (R-Randolph). “However, this bill makes clear that it cannot be interpreted to prohibit a teacher from answering a student’s question in class if it is related to the educational topic of sexual orientation and gender identity.”
House Minority Whip Kayla Young (D-Kanawha) offered an amendment to remove the bill’s provision requiring schools to inform parents if a student requests to be called by pronouns different from those associated with their gender assigned at birth or uses a different name aligning with their self-identified gender. The amendment was ultimately rejected.
“The reason I offered the amendment to take that out is because there are a lot of kids who don’t go by the name their parents gave them,” Young said. “It has nothing to do with their gender at all. … I don’t want to put kids in that situation. And in situations where kids have always gone by a different name, I think this creates a really weird process.”
In response, Delegate Coop-Gonzalez argued against Young’s amendment, stating, “I don’t believe that that is a very small and minor change. I believe that that is actually a very large change.”
Despite the bill passing with a significant majority, it drew dissenting votes from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
“I’m not really sure what problem we’re trying to solve here,” said Delegate Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha). “It seems to me that this bill is based on some perceived notion that teachers are somehow trying to corrupt our students. This is a personal matter between parents and their children, and we should keep our schools and our teachers out of it.”
Delegate Jeffrey Stephens (R-Marshall), who is also a teacher, asked his colleagues to consider the situations they sometimes face. “I would just ask you to think about the situations that we are put in sometimes. Some folks don’t realize, but kids come to you, and they confide in you, and sometimes they open up,” Stephens said. “There needs to be a trusted adult in that child’s life. I don’t know what that middle ground is.”
Meanwhile, the consideration of two other socially contentious bills – Senate Bill 299, which would alter state regulations regarding puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgeries, and Senate Bill 474, which aims to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs – was deferred until Saturday, the final day of the 2025 legislative session. The 60-day regular session is set to conclude at midnight.
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