In the face of national outrage, Arizona Republican state Sen. Sylvia Allen is backing off her proposal to ban discussion of “homosexuality” in the state's public and charter schools.
Allen issued a statement Thursday saying she plans to introduce an amendment that would remove the “homosexuality” ban from Senate Bill 1082, a sweeping measure related to sex-education.
“Several news outlets have reported that my bill to provide parents more access and information on sexual education courses also prohibits the inclusion of homosexuality as part of any chosen curricula,” Allen said in a statement, according to 12news.com. “They are misinterpreting the language. That was absolutely not my intention. I regret that it has diverted attention from the main goal of the bill, which is to assist parents with more access and transparency, so that they could make informed decisions about the health and welfare of their children.
“I will post an amendment today that removes the provision that has raised concerns. With this clarification, I aim to return the conversation on this bill back to my original intent – to provide meaningful opportunities for parents to engage and be contributory on this very important issue.”
Watch a video of Allen discussing the bill below.
