Educators on our Legislation Commission and Board of Directors work every two years to ensure our Legislative Priorities reflect MEA’s values. Among the values embraced in this guiding document, amended and adopted this spring, is language advocating for the rights of ALL students and educators – and opposing bills like SB 218 that attack transgender equality.

The bill, introduced by Senate Education & Workforce Committee Chair Lana Theis (R-Brighton), would require high school athletes to compete on sports teams based on their “biological sex.” Ahead of a last-minute hearing on the bill Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Dayna Polehanki (a former educator and MEA member) tore into the legislation, calling it “cruel and unnecessary.” MHSAA has similarly labelled the bill as unnecessary, citing an average of two inquiries per year about transgender athletics policy – compared to more than 800 female athletes who compete in male sports who could be barred from competing under this legislation.

MEA formally opposed the bill in committee and will continue to fight it on the grounds laid out in our Legislative Priorities – along with another recent Theis-introduced bill, SB 460, that puts a gag on educators talking about critical issues regarding race and social justice in classrooms.  Add your voice against this discriminatory legislation by contacting your lawmakers today.