The U.S. House scored a victory for parental rights on Wednesday, passing a bill to prevent schools from hiding gender transitions from parents despite opposition from Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Golden (D-Maine).
The bill, from Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), passed with a narrow 217-198 margin in a largely party-line vote, with eight Democrats breaking with their majority to support the bill.
The bill would remove federal elementary and secondary school funding from any schools that fail to obtain parental consent before changing a student’s gender on documents or changing the student’s “sex-based accommodations.”
It would effectively prevent elementary and middle schools from facilitating secret social gender transitions of students whose parents do not approve of radical gender ideology.
The bill specifically prevents schools from changing a child’s pronouns or preferred name on any forms without parental consent.
Notably, it does not apply to high schools.
Though the bill passed with a narrow margin through the House, it is unlikely to make it through the Senate’s deadlock, where it would need significant Democratic support to move forward.
