Over the last several months, some Arizona Republican legislators have tried — and failed — to push forward controversial bills that would curtail political or religious talk in the classroom.
One is House Bill 2032, which would ban teachers from discussing issues that could influence or change students’ political or religious views in the classroom. The Rules Committee advanced the bill on Tuesday, despite concerns about the constitutionality of the measure.
Initially, the measure would have fined teachers up to $5,000 if they did this. But, the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Kelly Townsend, agreed to change the language so school districts are fined instead.
Critics, and even a legislative lawyer, have said the measure would impinge on teachers’ right to freedom of speech. Rep. Townsend joined The Show to respond to that concern, among other.
