The new education chief in Arizona urged state lawmakers to repeal a law that bans any courses teaching about HIV and AIDS from depicting homosexuality “as a positive alternative lifestyle.
In her first State of Education address Monday, Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman called for the repeal of the state’s “no promo homo” law, according to the Tucson Star.
“A simple step we can take to help reduce discrimination and bullying for these students is to repeal the ‘no promo homo’ law,” Hoffman said in the speech, saying it “contributes to an unsafe school environment.”
The law currently allows schools to give educational classes on HIV and Aids but has stipulations. The law makes it illegal for schools to teach anything that “promotes a homosexual lifestyle” or “portrays homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle.”
Hoffman said the policy “is not just outdated, it has always been harmful and wrong.”
Democrats in Arizona have for years attempted to repeal the legislation to no avail.
A bill recently introduced by state Sen. Martin Quezada (D) would eliminate the law.
“Like it or not, there are a lot of homosexual students in our K-12 classrooms right now who are at vulnerable points in their lives,” Quezada told the news outlet. “They’re learning about themselves, they’re learning about their sexuality and I think they deserve to get an education to help keep them safe.”
No date has been set for a hearing on Quezada’s bill.