2022 AL Senate race: on Education

Jessica Taylor: Will end brainwashing of children with Critical Race Theory

Katie Britt: Focus schools on education, not LGBT indoctrination

"Our schools should be focused on education, not indoctrination," said Katie Britt, former chief of staff for Senator Richard Shelby whose seat she is now vying for.

Both Britt and candidate Mike Durant, a former Army helicopter pilot, said they support the Alabama legislation as a reinforcement of Christian values in schools.

"Of course, our youngest students should not be learning about sex in the classroom--that's the role of parents, not teachers," said Britt. "We need to get God back in our classrooms and return students to saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day while standing for our flag."

Mo Brooks: LGBT sex ed? Hell no; not in Alabama

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks said he believes the bills are pro-science and will protect Alabama from a left-wing agenda to lie to children. "The amoral Left claims they own our kids and wants to lie to our children about biology and science," said Brooks. "My reply is simple: 'Hell no. Not in Alabama.'"

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the two bills into law [this week]. One criminalizes gender-affirming surgeries for trans youth. Another requires students use the bathroom of the "biological sex" listed on their birth certificate and, in an amendment modeled on Florida's law, prevents classroom discussion of topics "regarding sexual orientation or gender identity" in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Will Boyd: Ensure that no public dollars go to support private schools

• Work to close the widening gap between cost of living and cost of education
• Work to ensure that public schools have the resources needed to better prepare students for the changing economy
• Ensure that public dollars are not used to support private schools that target only the elite
• Work to ensure that teachers are better compensated and have secure retirement plans

Will Boyd: Close gap between cost of living and cost of education

• Protect funds for pre-college programs, Tech-prep and Perkins Loans
• Support efforts to connect college students to the right people and resources within their community to improve the chances of job acquisition
• Support and introduce legislation that closes the widening gap between cost of living and cost of education as college tuition and fees have risen nearly three times as fast as median family income

Mike Durant: Reinforce Christian values in schools

Both Katie Britt and candidate Mike Durant, a former Army helicopter pilot, said they support the Alabama legislation as a reinforcement of Christian values in schools.

A spokesperson replied on behalf of Durant, telling AL.com that the words, "anti-trans" are the language of liberal indoctrination. "The liberal media would love nothing more than to indoctrinate our youth with woke ideology, tell seven-year-old children to explore their 'gender identity,' and encourage kids on the playground to ask each other what their pronouns are," said a campaign spokesperson.