On April 17, 2025, Alabama lawmakers passed legislation that would ban teachers from displaying Pride flags and restrict formal discussions on LGBTQ+ topics in public schools.

This bill is part of a broader trend of laws expanding “Don’t Say Gay”-style restrictions beyond elementary education.

Rep. Neil Rafferty, Alabama’s only openly gay legislator, testified against the bill:

“When we ban their identities from the classroom, we are telling them that the best they can hope for is silence. I won’t help silence them, because I’ve been there, because I know what that silence feels like.”

The bill threatens to marginalize LGBTQ+ students and educators, infringe upon First Amendment rights, and foster an environment of exclusion.

Similar laws in other states have led to increased feelings of isolation and fear. According to a survey of over 20,000 LGBTQ+ youth, eight in ten LGBTQ+ students in the US felt unsafe at their schools.

This bill will make it worse for them.

We urge Governor Kay Ivey to veto this discriminatory bill that bans Pride flags and suppresses discussions on LGBTQ+ topics in schools.

We call on you to promote a learning environment that respects diversity and fosters understanding among all students in Alabama.