Alabama legislators waved through a bill that would ban discussion or instruction about gender identity or sexual orientation in all grades, K-12, to the floor, and added a ban on Pride flags in schools.

The House Education Policy Committee also considered an amendment from the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, that would add Space Camp as a place that cannot instruct children on LGBTQ issues, but the rider failed. Butler wanted the amendment added after a Huntsville school parent posted on social media about a transgender employee at Space Camp.

The parent and lawmakers who then called for the employee’s firing did not specify any wrongdoing by the employee. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center told media that “no child has been physically harmed on our campus.”

Committee Chair Terri Collins, R-Decatur, voted against the Space Camp amendment, saying she was uncomfortable targeting a single organization. “I have some concerns about calling out one institution when we have camps and things all over,” she said.

Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, who also voted no, questioned Butler’s motives for bringing the Space Camp amendment. “I just don’t understand why are you picking on this one organization,” she said.

“Where does it stop?” she asked. “Do we just patchwork and keep doing it over and over again – and I’m using your word from the last public hearing – until you purify the state of Alabama?”

Read more: Alabama bill would expand ban on sex and gender topics in schools, despite lack of complaints

“I’m hoping this will send the message,” Butler said, “that it’s inappropriate for the instructors, teachers to teach sexual orientation.”

In 2022, Alabama passed a law that stops K-5 educators from specifically talking about LGBTQ topics in the classroom. Butler’s bill would expand the prohibition to all K-12 teachers.

Some educators and state officials say they don’t think the bill is needed, and that it could make it hard for educators to teach on certain topics. LGBTQ advocates say the bill is targeted at LGBTQ young people and will make students more likely to be isolated and afraid.

Daniels questioned why Butler’s bill only applied to instruction in public schools; Butler said he would consider expanding it to private schools in the state.

“If we pass this here today and we make it to the floor, I absolutely would look into that,” Butler said.

Flag amendment

The amendment says that “no teacher, or other public K-12 employee, may display a flag or other insignia relating to or representing sexual orientation or gender identity in a classroom or on the property of a public K-12 school.”

Drummond asked how schools will know if a flag is not allowed.

“Well, I think we all know what we’re getting it is some schools are displaying the Pride flag,” Butler responded. “Some of the educators,” he clarified.

Butler said he brought the flag amendment after being asked to by a “group of moms.”

Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, questioned the need for a law for a complaint that could be handled by a local school board.

“Now we’re taking something that was an isolated incident and now we’re making it applicable to the entire state of Alabama,” Daniels said, “which is problematic for me.”

Butler said he spoke with a woman in Rep. Mark Gidley’s office who claimed her grandson was “indoctrinated” by a teacher and the child now identifies as a girl.

“She felt like it was the teacher that did it,” he said.

“Man, give me a break,” Daniels said. “I won’t talk out loud because what I want to say, there are too many cameras in here for me to say what I want to say.”

The bill was approved on a voice vote. It now heads to the floor of the House chamber.