Hijacked Bill Harms Teachers and Students: Poder Latinx Condemns Anti-DEI Amendments to Georgia HB 127
ATLANTA, GA — Poder Latinx strongly condemns the amendments added to Georgia House Bill 127—a legislation that initially aimed to support teachers by expanding paid sick leave but has been hijacked by all the Republican senators to push a political agenda. The amendment, passed by the Georgia Senate on a 33-21 party-line vote, includes a dangerous ban on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and discriminatory provisions against transgender students. We urge the Georgia House of Representatives to reject the amended version and stay focused on what truly matters: supporting educators and fostering inclusive, safe schools for all.
“Paid sick leave is a fundamental right—not a bargaining chip,” said Yadira Sánchez, Executive Director of Poder Latinx. “Our teachers deserve the ability to care for themselves and their families without being forced to sacrifice their health, income, or job security. Instead, lawmakers are hijacking a pro-teacher bill to attack equity and inclusion in education.”
The original HB 127 was a commonsense measure, expanding sick leave from three to five days for public school teachers—a critical step toward supporting Georgia’s education workforce. However, the Georgia Senate inserted sweeping anti-DEI language that:
Penalizes schools for implementing DEI initiatives
Prohibits transgender students from using school facilities that align with their gender identity
“These amendments are a direct assault on Georgia’s most vulnerable students and educators,” added Sánchez. “They do nothing to strengthen our schools and everything to divide and distract. This is yet another attempt to silence marginalized voices and erase the progress we’ve made toward educational equity. Educators and students should never be used as political pawns.”
Poder Latinx denounces this “zombie bill,” initially introduced as SB 120—a failed attempt to pass an extreme DEI ban now revived through HB 127, originally intended to protect educators’ paid leave rights. We call on every Georgian to contact their House Representative today and demand a NO vote on the amended HB 127. Let’s hold Georgia Senate Republicans accountable for bargaining with the paid leave protections of educators and using our schools as a battleground for their harmful agenda. The well-being of our communities, our educators, and our children depends on it.
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Poder Latinx’s mission is to build a political wave where Latinx communities, immigrants, and people of color are decision-makers in this country’s democracy.