Utah House kills bill banning LGBTQ+ Pride flags and political views from classrooms

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah House has blocked a bill that would have banned teachers from using their position to promote or disparage certain beliefs. Utah teachers will be free to display LGBTQ+ Pride flags and other social, political or religious imagery. The Republican-led chamber shot down the proposal during the final week of the 2024 legislative session. Educators would have been prohibited under the bill from encouraging a student to reconsider their sexual orientation or gender identity. They could have faced punishment for affirming or refusing to affirm a student’s identity. The bill’s failure comes a month after Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation limiting diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state universities.