‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Sponsor Complains That His Bill Is Misunderstood

Missouri Rep. Steve Cookson (R) — the sponsor of the state’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill” — is complaining that his legislation to prohibit discussion of sexual orientation outside of health class is being misconstrued as an attack on gay people and insists that he is merely seeking to shift the discussion of sexuality from the classroom to the family. In an interview with a local CBS affiliate, Cookson reveals that he has received death threats and hateful email concerning the legislation:

COOKSON: I just think those are better left outside of the curriculum…I want to bring families back into education, and for those that don’t have that support, we’ll deal with those…. We need to keep the focus on [math and science] for the student body, and not on other things that can be distracting.

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But as Mark Jones, the political director for the Missouri National Education Association explained, banning discussions of gay people — who exist in the schools whether Cookson likes it or not — would only “further ostracize children who are exploring their sexual orientation.” “This would really tie the teacher’s hands when they go to help children when they are being bullied because of their sexual orientation,” he said and noted that since students spend numerous hours a day with teachers, educators need the freedom to discuss any problems they encounter.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has also condemned Cookson’s bill as “clearly harmful to the best interests of the children of Missouri.” “All children and teenagers need to feel safe in their schools, and HB 2051 takes that assurance away from them.”