Mark Harris: ‘Teachers Should Not Perpetuate The Lie That There Are Other Genders'

Forbes Breaking News

During a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing before the Congressional recess, Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) discussed proposed legislation aimed at requiring parental consent for student gender changes in the school.

Transcript

00:00A now-recognized gentleman from North Carolina, Representative Harris.

00:04Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for your leadership on this legislation.

00:0921,000 schools in America have policies to prevent faculty and staff

00:15from telling a parent about a student's self-imagined gender identity.

00:20Now, if you think that seems crazy, you're correct.

00:24This bill that's before us today merely requires elementary and middle schools

00:28which freely accept federal dollars to ask for parental consent

00:33before changing a child's gender, pronouns, or name on school documents.

00:40Mothers and fathers have the right to parent their children in the way they see fit.

00:45Well, I believe in limited government, especially when it comes to education.

00:49Our federal government was established to protect God-given rights,

00:53so we must ensure that basic parental rights are protected.

00:58School districts in my own district had policies like this.

01:02And thankfully, in 2023, North Carolina has implemented a law similar to the one we're considering today

01:09that requires parental notification for name or pronoun changes.

01:15See, implicit in this encouraged secrecy is the idea that parents will harm or punish their children

01:22if they discover that their son or daughter has questions about who they are.

01:27But this is a faulty premise.

01:29The most appropriate people to care for a child are his or her parents.

01:36This bill sides with parents and children rather than the nanny state

01:41that says the government can manage your family better than you can.

01:44It's never appropriate for school administrators to withhold concerning information about a child from their parents.

01:53The left's gender ideology preys upon adolescents by exploiting the vulnerability of children.

01:59But one truth still remains.

02:02There are only two sexes, male and female.

02:06Teachers should not perpetuate the lie that there are other genders by keeping secrets from parents of confused kids.

02:15I will always stand to protect children and uphold parental rights.

02:20I'm proud to support the Protect Kids Act, and I would urge my colleagues to do the same.

02:25Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

02:27I yield back my time.

02:28I thank the gentlemen.

02:32I...

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