'Don't say gay' bill clears Senate panel

[cali]

NASHVILLE - After some convoluted maneuvers, a Senate committee Wednesday approved a bill that will prohibit teachers from discussing homosexuality in kindergarten through eighth-grade classrooms.

The measure (SB49) is sponsored by Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, who unsuccessfully pushed the same idea - nicknamed the "don't say gay" bill - for six years as a member of the state House before he was elected to the Senate.

As introduced, the bill would have put into law a declaration that it is illegal to discuss any sexual behavior other than heterosexuality prior to the ninth grade.

But when it came before the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, contended current law already prohibits such instruction by deeming it a misdemeanor to teach any sex education that is not part of the "family life curriculum" adopted by the state Board of Education.

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http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/apr/21/dont-say-gay-bill-clears-senate-panel/

[xchrom]

1. cause kids never hear about it before 9th. nt

[cali]

2. I wonder what the penalty will be

what an ugly witch hunt. bigoted fuckwads.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Interesting dilemma for Obama/Duncan.

How to rationalize school "reform" ( Tennessee is in the vanguard of this: de-unionize, disempower and de-professionalize teachers) in the face of the all-too-predictable consequences of same. ( i.e. the above homophobic idiocy.)

They'll think of *something*.

Go to it, fellas.

[lilyin]

4. Wow

What a "backwards" state Tennessee is- real censorship. How will they "monitor" this in the schools and what will be the punishment. What a disgrace to America.

[CurtEastPoint]

5. So predictable. Sen. Tracy...

[ReggieVeggie]

6. hopefully, the last desperate gasp of the homophobes n/t

[MilesColtrane]

7. Don't Ask Don't Teach?

What a bunch of assholes.

[tavalon]

8. Wow, teh stupid

It burns.

[felix_numinous]

9. That isn't education, it's conditioning.

[texshelters]

10. What if a students says "that's gay"

are you supposed to ignore that?

I look the student straight in the eye and embarrass him (almost always male), "Slavery doesn't seem happy and cheerful to me." That ends the use of the word.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[undeterred]

11. Can they say PENIS ? I wanna know if they can say PENIS....PENIS!!!!!

In what grade can they say PENIS?!!!

[The Wizard]

12. Gay means happy

At least it did at one time. When will the confederates make smiling illegal?

[Brickbat]

13. A class with a bunch of like-minded students could make this the mockery it is.

A bunch of eighth-graders sitting around raising their hands asking the teacher questions about homosexuality would illustrate this law's stupidity right smart quick.