Reality Banned in Tennessee (Again)
It has been nearly 90 years since the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial, which made the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, the laughing stock of the nation, as they successfully punished a science teacher for teaching evolution. The state is at it again, only this time the reality that is being prohibited is homosexuality.
The Tennessee Senate has approved Senator Stacey Campfield’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would prohibit K-8 teachers from acknowledging that there is such a thing as homosexuality. The bill outlaws any curriculum or discussion of “any sexuality other than heterosexuality,” ostensibly to protect children from the complex and confusing nature of homosexuality. The law would also prevent counselors from discussing homosexuality with gay and questioning youth. The bill won’t go before the House until next year.
Contrary to the misinformation put out by the law’s backers, the law does not put into place reasonable controls over the discussion of a controversial topic at school—it seeks to completely eliminate all discussion of the topic. If a child complains to a teacher or counselor that he or she has been bullied because of their actual (or