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Committee Approves Restrictions on Nondiscrimination Policies

A Republican-controlled House panel approved legislation that stops local school boards from expanding their nondiscrimination policy.

Missy Shelton reports.

The committee voted 13 to 11 to send forward a bill that prohibits local school boards in Missouri from writing nondiscrimination policies that go beyond state and federal policies.

Those policies prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, age, disabling conditions and veteran status.

At issue is the exclusion from this list of sexual orientation.

Supporters of the bill that blocks school districst from including sexual orientation say it's wrong to give special considertion to groups of people.

Republican representative Brian Baker.

But that's not good enough for some democratic lawmakers.

Representative Barbara Fraser says some school districts in her legislative district already include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policy.

And she says, that isn't the only group that school districts have seen fit to add...Some districts' policies forbid discrimination based on organizational memberships, socio-economic status, and marital status.

Fraser says under this bill, school districts couldn't include those categories either.

Beyond taking away power from school districts, other lawmakers warn the bill would increase school districts' liability.

Democratic representative Jeff Harris gave an example of a case in Eau Claire, Wisconsin where a student sued a school district claiming he was discriminated against because of his sexual orientation.

But some lawmakers questioned whether a defendent seeking to bring a similar lawsuit in Missouri would have standing.

Republican representative Kevin Wilson.

The lobbying group for local school districts, Missouri School Board Association does not have a position on the bill.

Having gained committee approval, the bill now heads to the full House for consideration.

SOC