In Louisiana, students and teachers begin school year with cell phone ban, anti-LGBTQ laws

Louisiana students and teachers will begin the school year with a cell phone ban and LGBTQ restrictions among the new laws taking effect this month.

No new law will have a more widespread impact than Republican Franklinton Sen. Beth Mizell's cell phone ban requiring devices be stowed away for the entire school day, including the lunch hour, unless a student has secured an exemption for health reasons, such as a diabetes monitor.

Louisiana's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is expected to review and approve the final policy on how to implement the cell phone ban this month.

“Teachers and workforce groups say (cell phones are) the biggest distraction they’re fighting against in the classroom,” Mizell said when advocating for her Senate Bill 207, now Act 313.

Two other new laws will prevent gender identity discussions in Louisiana's public schools and give teachers the right to ignore LGBTQ students' preferred names and pronouns.

The two anti-LGBTQ school laws are a microcosm of the ongoing national debate over gender identity in one of America's marquee culture war issues.

Republican Haughton Rep. Dodie Horton's House Bill 122, now Act 681, bans teachers from talking about or allowing classroom discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation.

"Our children are to be taught and not indoctrinated or confused," Horton said in an interview with USA Today Network. "Parents have the right to raise their children consistent with their own beliefs. This bill isn't anti-anyone or lifestyle choice. I hate the false narrative."

Horton said students shouldn't be subjected to what she described as "innocence destroying" conversations.

Republican Bossier City Rep. Raymond Crews' House Bill 121, now Act 680, requires school employees to use the names and pronouns of students on their birth certificates, which LGBTQ people refer to as "dead names," unless they have parental consent, and even then a teacher can refuse. In those cases, the student can transfer to another class if one is available.

Crews has said his bill is intended to protect the rights of parents and teachers.

"It ensures the rights of parents to know what's occurring in their children's lives," he said.

But those who opposed the bills testified that such legislation creates a hostile school environment for LGBTQ students and promotes hate and bullying.

"In Louisiana, there's a coordinated attack on LGBTQ young people," Melissa Flournoy said in a previous debate.

Democratic Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, who in 2022 became the first openly gay person to be elected to statewide office, described the legislation as "hateful" during testimony.

More: In Louisiana, a new law allows all arrest booking mugshots to be public

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: In Louisiana, students and teachers begin school year with cell phone ban, anti-LGBTQ laws