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Loading ...Tenn. bill delayed that would gag gay students, teachers
03.19.2009 12:20pm EDT
(Nashville, Tennessee) Tennessee lawmakers have put off voting on a bill that would bar elementary schools from “any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.”
The House of Representatives K-12 Subcommittee took up the bill this week, deciding Wednesday to send the measure for more study.A similar bill died in committee last year.
“Teachers should neither be promoting nor speaking against homosexuality,” said Rep. Stacey Campfield (R), the bill’s sponsor.
“They should not talk about it all,” Campfield said. “Leave it up to families to talk about it.”
The Tennessee Equality Project, the Tennessee Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union all oppose the bill. Critics say it would stifle free speech.
“The problem with this bill is it would have a chilling effect on even being able to discuss the bill itself, and both sides of the bill, in an 8th grade class where you are learning to write essays,” said Chris Sanders of the Tennessee Equality Project.
If the law were to pass, opponents say that teachers could be prohibited from even mentioning the fact that lesbian, gay, and bisexual people exist. But it is not clear what would happen if a student asked a question about homosexuality or gay issues in class.
Last year, the K-9 subcommittee referred the bill to the state Department of Education for further study – a move designed to kill the measure.
Campfield reintroduced it this year.
Tennessee already bans same-sex marriage through a constitutional amendment and in addition to the gag bill, the legislature this year is considering a bill that would ban gay couples from adopting children.
With Republicans now in control of both houses in the Tennessee legislature GOP lawmakers say they are confident of passing both the gag and adoption bills this year.
As a 20 year old New Zealander, reading this article really worries me about the united states, or at least, some of the not so united states.
I can’t believe that so much contention is produced about the topic of homosexuality in america. Absolutely can’t believe it at all.
Here in New Zealand we all have a very chilled out attitude towards most things. Homosexuality is another. Our new prime minister is a part of the national party (which is meant to be right wing) yet he was photographed laughing and dancing at the drag shows in Auckland. While he doesn’t support Gay Marriage he hasn’t spoken out against it and won’t repeal the Civil Unions Act 2004 which gave every New Zealander the ability to enter into a Civil Union. While not “marriage” it gives exactly the same rights and responsibilties as Marriage would have.
I can hear some very ardent gay rights supporters yelling that we need “marriage” but let’s go back to the idea that New Zealand is a laid back place. The convervatives don’t mind if we can have a legal union. The gays shouldn’t mind that they can’t have the word “marriage’. Everybody basically wins.
Turning to this new “law”. It would not be given any votes by the house of representatives here. Not one. It absolutely shocks me that this type of idea is created in a country that is not third world.
Whoever wrote it is the type of lunatic that treats any sort of information or communication on a topic as some sort of pancreatic infection that will force sinful behaviour on unsuspecting people.
That type of thinking is reminiscent of… the middle ages and won’t stand up in any court of law, anywhere. Perhaps in iran or china however even now, nearing 2010 the entire world is moving towards social justice.
Will Brendan, if you are checking the comments… Hang in there. I’m from Alabama, and while it’s hard to be a gay youth everywhere, I know what you mean about it being especially tough there. In Alabama or beyond, someday you’ll be able to surround yourself with caring folks who accept you. Until then, hang in there.
What is the difficulty in changing, “any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.” to, “any instruction or materials discussing sexuality.”???? It seems if we aren’t discussing one, then we shouldn’t discuss any! And while we are at it, let’s not discuss single mothers, single fathers, adoption, abortion, religion, the pledge of allegiance, the Muslim religion, Masonry, our forefathers, communism, or anything else that there in which there is an equally valid viewpoint other than our own. In fact, while we are at it, let’s burn all the books in the library we don’t agree with and censor everyone’s speech. Got the idea?
Ugh, how frustrating. Those of us living in Tennessee are horrified enough by the adoption ban bill, now this.
Nice to see the TEA is opposing it, though. They’re usually impotent on basically any issue.
Oh and whoever mentioned Nashville seceding… heck, no! It’s our only bastion of somewhat-liberalism… along with a few blocks each in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis.
As a gay student in Alabama (the worst place to be a homosexual), I know what it’s like to be discriminated against in school every. Single. Day. But this B.S. is exactly what causes such strong homophobia in schools. When the students FINALLY learn about homosexuality in a school, they’ve already started using anti-gay slurs. We need to teach them that LGBT people do exist in society at an early age (Bible thumpers would be outraged at what I just said), or else the homophobia in learning environments will only get worse.
If these people are for “protecting the children”, I hope they’re not talking about me. If so, they can take their “protection” and put it where the sun don’t shine.
ALAN,
I agree 100%- if they want to ban literature about GLBT issues then ban the Bible too
ALAN: Don’t forget the passages about David and Jonathan that bible-thumpers very implausibly gloss over as “friendship” while being paranoid about similar relationships in modern life, whether they’re sexual or not. It was David who said that his love for Jonathan was greater than that of any woman, and it was Jonathan who was described as stripping in front of David.
Has anyone started the groundwork for a boycott? With the amount of their economy based on tourism, that could hurt. Pressure could be put on country music stars who don’t come out against the law. There are a lot of ways pressure could be put on the state.
As for welcoming this as a chance to get the Supreme Court involved, I’m still a bit too skeptical about the make up of the current court to be willing to risk it. Remember, it took 40 years to overthrow Plessy v. Ferguson. We don’t have that long. Better to hold off until Obama gets someone on the court.
The link that is provided by drewski also has an interesting line in that article. It is about banning books that have GLBT content. If that is the case — LETS START WITH THE BIBLE. Since it is always the reference that ALL the bible thumpers refer to in their hate literature. The bible talks about homosexuals, incest, murder and so forth. To me that would make it the first book to be banned from the libraries. Just a point to be considered.
Would it be O.K. to mention that the world is round and older than 5,000 years?
Tom in Long Beach
Campfield is simply wrong. Merely speaking of a topic is not “promoting” that topic.
I wonder what other groups can’t be discussed in schools? Let’s see, is it okay to speak of black people? Of left-handed people? Of brown eyed people?
I wonder what other groups would be made invisible by such a stupid law?
Get a grip, America!
This feels like a jagged pill they’re trying to force down my throught. How horrifying! We as a group must remember we don’t have to swallow!!! Spit it back in their face!
MY GOD! This is what we should be salivating over. We should pray that this bill passes. What a gift on a silver platter!!!
This would be the case to go to the Supreme Court of the United States. They are going to have to defend their position. This the case that will define gays legally. Whether Gay is good or bad or neutral. And thus may finally give us a minority scrutiny under the constitution.
Please oh lord or lady, let them pass this law!!!
Just to support my argument:
http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2009/03/tennessee_legislature_scores_n.php
If Nashville seceded from Tennessee, then everyone from the snake-handlers in the East to the sharecroppers in the West would have to find somebody else to pay taxes to support their ignorance.