Parental permission bill will return to Georgia Legislature

State Rep. Bobby Reese, R-Sugar Hill, will push his version of the bill, which died in committee during the last session.

“To me, it’s just common sense,” Reese said. “Why would anyone not want to know what their child is doing in school?”

While Reese said the bill is intended only to inform parents, not target certain clubs, both conservatives and gay rights activists see such legislation as a way to curb gay-straight clubs like one in rural White County that caused controversy.

Sen. Ralph Hudgens, R-Comer, said he will add his name back to the Senate version of the parental notification bill, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Schaefer, R-Turnerville. He had withdrawn it when state education officials said they would consider a similar policy of their own. But they too dropped the effort after complaints from groups including the American Civil Liberties Union.

Hudgens said he hopes the bill will discourage membership in gay-straight clubs by alerting parents to their children’s’ participation.

“From my perspective, homosexuality is a perversion,” Hudgens said. “I would want to know if my child is joining the club and why is he joining the club.”

A parental permission law could reduce participation in gay clubs by forcing students to “come out” to their parents before joining. It could also reduce membership by letting parents forbid their child’s participation, gay rights activists say.

Conservative groups like the Christian Coalition and the Eagle Forum voiced support for such legislation last year, specifically citing gay-straight clubs as a reason.

Rep. Jane Kidd, D-Athens, a member of the House education committee the bill will have to pass through, said she expects Republicans to make the parental permission bill a priority next year.

“It’ll be brought up first thing,” Kidd said.

But Kidd said she will oppose the bill because she does not want to put limits on gay-straight school clubs.

“I think it’s important that students have those types of associations after school,” Kidd said. “A lot of parents don’t like it, but their children don’t have to participate.”

Despite opposition over gay clubs in White County and also Madison County, there are about 40 gay-straight alliances in schools across Georgia that enjoy community support, said Josh Lamont, a spokesman for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

“These types of situations are the exception, not the rule,” Lamont said of the gay club disputes in the two north Georgia communities.