Atlanta, Ga— Georgia’s State Governor, Brian Kemp is expected to sign many controversial bills into law this week that would prevent its educators, collegiate students, and students within its K-12 classrooms from vocalizing the truth about Georgia's dark history. Several bills recently passed by members of Georgia's House of Representatives and State Senate would include:House Bill 1: Eliminates “free speech zones” on college campuses. It would also limit colleges’ abilities to prevent speakers on campus. This bill would imply that students, faculty members, and guests should be able to express free speech wherever they want on campus.House Bill 1178: Known as "the “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” This bill would imply that parents have the fundamental right to “direct the upbringing and education of their minor children.” The bill states that important information about a child cannot be withheld from their parent, including information related to education. House Bill 1084: Prevents “divisive concepts and ideologies from invading the classroom." The bill also states that school boards, superintendents, and charter school governing bodies “shall prohibit employees from discriminating against students and other employees based on race.”Senate Bill 226: Allows for "obscene materials to be removed from school libraries." The bill also requires school boards to have a policy in place to have a “complaint resolution process” to be used by a school system to address complaints from parents and guardians.With numerous GOP-led voter-suppression laws already on the books, Georgia's newest GOP-led legislation is a dog whistle that signals a direct threat to its Black and Brown citizens across the state. President Gerald Griggs of the Georgia NAACP stated, "This is an assault on the truth. We cannot mute history under the guise of making a particular group of Georgians feel comfortable.”The Georgia NAACP now calls for Governor Kemp to restore the fundamental educational rights of its educators and students across Georgia. "We need to teach the truth about Georgia's history in order to move Georgia forward in a united fashion," Griggs concluded.
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About The Georgia NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has had an unbroken presence in Georgia since 1917. The Georgia NAACP maintains a network of units throughout Georgia, from cities to small rural counties. The Georgia NAACP has been the most effective and consistent advocate for African American civil rights in Georgia. You can read more about the Georgia NAACP’s work and mission at naacpga.org.
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