This article was originally published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1411415
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1411415
Keep ’em stupid and angry and the agenda will be served.
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Unlike Wisconsin, the rest of the country will not postpone politics because of the opening day of deer season
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It means that the partisan and venomous are being well-paid.
Hey, if Wisconsin wants people like the Kochs running their state, well, good luck.
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When someone wants to burn the school to cinders, opposing them is not being “contentious.” These monsters don’t want a middle ground of negotiated agreements. They want it all. All the monies, all the decisions. Dead and damaged children are acceptable losses.
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Wisconsin had better fight for their children and their future.
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It is sad that this type of confrontation occurs, but the goal here is parents being able to determine what type of sex education is brought before students, and when. No matter where you stand on LGBTQABC matters, I would hope that you agree that parents should have a say in sex education, Everybody seem upset with the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” law that covers kids up to 3rd Grade. Holy shit,we’re talking about 6-9 year olds. What’s so hard to understand about this. Ten years ago, most adults didn’t even know what trans or gender identity meant. Let’s leave this up to the parents, rather than teachers who might have an agenda here.
A say, okay. Unfortunately, a lot of parents are full of prejudice and teach their kids that “those” people are bad, inhuman, messed up, whatever, and even that they shouldn’t have rights. Meanwhile, the public schools exist to teach facts, reasoning, and informed democratic citizenship.
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How many 6 to 9 year olds are being taught sex ed? I seriously doubt that schools are teaching this to that age group.
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Can you provide an example of a teacher with am agenda? And please. These bills are also being sold as anti-grooming bills. It’s a clear attempt to otherize and demonize.
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Well, for large parts of Pennsylvania I’m not sure I’d say that. 
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So you think having an agenda is a bad thing. 
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If TV or the internet doesn’t do it, there are always friends, neighbors and siblings as well as schools that may “contaminate” your kids. Do you really believe good parenting and preparing a child for successful adulthood really involves ignoring reality and not giving them the knowledge they will need to navigate through life? LBTGQX is life education not sex education. What do you say when your 5 year old asks why a friend has two daddies?
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I grew up around a lot of animals that did it so I didn’t need sex ed.
At that age it seemed like a silly thing.
Which reminds me, one time went to the Wichita zoo with my GF and we were watching the baboons right before closing when a group of maybe 20 1st or 2nd second graders stopped to look at them. Well, the male baboon was sitting on a rock when a female suddenly starts performing oral sex on him, much to the amusement of the kids. The teacher wasn’t amused.
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I have some experience in educational settings for younger kids. Much of what these parents are objecting to is not sex ed per se but the mere idea of talking about and reading stories about the fact that the binary view of gender and the traditional heteronormative cisgender concept of the family don’t account for all people and all experiences. These parents literally want some kids’ experiences and families to be erased or demonized because they don’t fit into the man-woman family model.
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It is so bad here that the FBI warned us that it wasn’t safe to have meetings anymore.
I posted about this here last year https://forums.talkingpointsmemo.com/t/whats-happening-at-your-local-b-o-e/213004/21?u=martinheldt
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From the article:
Nicole Angresano, a leader in the coalition that turned back the recall, resents the coordinated attacks on the top-rated district. “I don’t think infuriating is hyperbole,” she said. “It’s infuriating to me.”
And, to me as well. I worked with Nicole during her long history in Public Health and leadership in United Way in Milwaukee. She was awesome and energetic – working for teen pregnancy reductions, maternal morbidity and mortality, underserved populations, community support, education, affordable housing, etc. Believe her, and support the incredible people in Wisconsin who are working hard for turning this state around. There are some really longtime heroes in this state. She is not a politician. She works in the trenches and in driving policy. It’s been ten years now since I have left Wisconsin, and I am so glad to hear her name again.
ETA: We have two terrific sources for political activity in Wisconsin here – @Scoutmom, and @becca656 (for at least a while longer…) Listen to them!
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And of course, context is king. In the same vein as the “Don’t Talk about Racial Disparities” bills, some people don’t have the luxury of not being affected. Many LBGTQ+ kids are already experiencing some of the differences from their cis- peers and they may not understand exactly what’s going on yet (and probably sexual preferences aren’t really affected at 6-9), but treating it like it’s an “adult” only issue is minimizing and trivializing (at best) some kids’ lived experiences.
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I’m so old, I can remember when Wisconsin had some of the best schools in the country, and parents were strongly in favor of their children learning. Fortunately, that’s when I went to school there, and then left. It’s been really depressing seeing what Republicans have done to my home state.
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