While the fallout from a Huntsville middle school teacher's drag queen performances is still playing out, Huntsville City Schools has remained tight-lipped on the situation, claiming they were "limited" in what they can share because it was a personnel matter.
Friday, during his weekly appearance on Huntsville radio WVNN's "The Dale Jackson Show," State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), who serves as the chairman of the State Senate education budget committee, said the legislature requiring more transparency by public school systems regarding matters such as this was a possibility.
"It's something I would have to look into," Orr said. "And when I say to a point, let's say there's a teacher with a health condition that is affecting the children. That becomes a little sensitive to that educator, so revealing private health information becomes a no-go area. But, for reading to dogs in drag – of course, it was off-duty, but there should be an investigation like you said.
"Has it spilled over into the classroom? What's going on there now that you've got this evidence – it is certainly happening elsewhere, this kind of behavior that you certainly don't want your children exposed to. So, I think the legislature can do something. We can certainly look at other states and see what they've done and how far they're willing to take it as far as some form of accountability."
He added the Alabama Legislature could look to "mandate" those disclosures to the public.
"I think there is a point that the legislature can mandate that there be some disclosure to the public, to the taxpayers, as far as personnel matters that occur rather than just stonewalling and telling them to buzz off, to the parents and to interested citizens," Orr explained. "I think it is completely possible, like I said, up to a point."
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