Indiana senator plans to offer big changes for controversial curriculum bill Wednesday

An Indiana lawmaker announced big changes for a controversial school curriculum bill Tuesday. The proposed amendment comes ahead of the bill’s hearing in committee Wednesday afternoon.

Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger) sent a news release outlining her amendment. Several groups have pushed back on House Bill 1134. Many have said they worry it would add onto teachers’ workloads and limit conversations about race and politics.

READ MORE: Here’s how lawmakers changed the House curriculum bill before sending it to the Senate

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Rogers’ proposed changes would remove requirements for teachers to post classroom materials online, and no longer require that schools create parent-led advisory committees.

Rogers’ proposal also removes language about material harmful to minors, pointing to a standalone bill, Senate Bill 17. That bill is still making its way through the legislature.

The proposed amendment also reworks the so-called “divisive concepts” included in the bill. Instead, the measure prohibits schools from teaching:

• One group is inherently superior or inferior to another;
• One group should be treated adversely or preferentially; and
• Individuals, by virtue of their traits, are inherently responsible for the past actions of others who share their traits.

In a statement, Rogers said she’s offering the proposal as a “good-faith attempt at a compromise” between concerns from parents and teachers.

Rogers plans to present the amendment during the Senate Education and Career Development Committee scheduled for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Jeanie at jlindsa@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @jeanjeanielindz.