Quote:The Tennessee Senate passed a bill on Friday that would bar teachers from discussing homosexuality with elementary and middle school students.

Under the legislation, dubbed by critics as the "don't say gay" bill, any instruction in public classrooms will be "limited exclusively to age-appropriate natural human reproduction science."

Republican Stacey Campfield, the bill's sponsor, says "homosexuals don't naturally reproduce" and has argued families should decide when its appropriate to talk with their children about homosexuality.

But gay rights activists are blasting the legislation, which passed 6-3, as a form of discrimination.

It "limits what teachers and students are able to discuss in the classroom," Ben Byers of the Tennessee Equality Project told LBGTQ Nation. "It means they can't talk about gay issues or sexuality even with students who may be gay or have gay family."

It's unlikely that the bill will be taken up by the House before lawmakers adjourn this spring, but Campfield said he would push it forward in 2012.

The bill, which was approved 19-11, passed the same day as Gallup released a poll revealing that American attitudes towards homosexuality are changing.

For the first time in Gallup polling history, the majority of Americans—53% believe same-sex marriage should be legal.

Passage of the bill would make Tennessee the first state to enact such legislation.

Initially, the bill read that no students will "provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality." Campfield said some of his colleagues were uncomfortable the language.

"There's more than one way to skin a cat," Campfield said after the legislation passed. "I got what I wanted."



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/05/21/2011-05-21_dont_say_gay_bill_passes_in_tennessee_senate_would_ban_teachers_from_discussing_.html#ixzz1N4GRBFNj

FrozNlite Wrote:Like I've said over the past few weeks with regards to this bill, guess no more Gaga in Tennessee K-12 public schools. Born This Way is officially illegal.

FrozNlite Wrote:Like I've said over the past few weeks with regards to this bill, guess no more Gaga in Tennessee K-12 public schools. Born This Way is officially illegal.

Erebus Wrote:So basically they passed this in the event that a kid could hear about gays and turn gay...

Satellite Wrote:This is gay. (bad joke luls)

Anyways, I would comment on this case, but it seems impossible without critizising Catholic Church or Republicans.

iamflip Wrote:Oh you can criticize Republicans. They're the ones that came up with the bill, with their usual rhetoric of "the American family" in mind.

On topic: No doubt there'll be appeals and calls for courts to review the constitutionality of the bill, so I doubt this bill will last long.

KhainiWest Wrote:I don't think we should be talking about sex period until high school. When I know about 12-15 year olds pregnant, it's stupid.

Dumb bill, but to be honest, in my opinion it doesn't really change anything. Who the hell talks about anal sex at elementary school, let alone any type of sex.

Satellite Wrote:Are you sure you understand the difference between "sexuality" and "sex"?

Stereo Wrote:The fact they don't understand is an even better reason to educate them.

Sex ed should happen before the kids have an opportunity to make mistakes on their own. We don't let people drive without learning how, why should they start having sex before they know how to do it safely?

Also, your own sexuality is not the only thing in question. What if your neighbors, relatives, friends are gay?