Florida’s “Keep Our Kids Ignorant” bigot laws.

The Republican Party long ago had exceeded its stupidity quota. Remember, these are the boobs who, in a brief moment of clarity, admitted on camera that Trump and his MAGA fools had attempted a takeover of the federal government, only a few days later, to deny what they said. 

(“Pay no attention to what I said on camera. That wasn’t me. It was the devil that made me do it. That was no attempted coup; it was a simple tourist visit and a discussion of voting.”)

Now these same boobs, led by the worst governor in America, Ron DeSantis (who because he’s the worst is encouraged to run for President of  the United States), have outdone themselves in both absurdity and cruelty, by dreaming up the mean-spirited “Florida’s Parental Rights in Education act” or “Don’t Say Gay” mind-control bill.

The ostensible purpose of this grotesque measure is to prevent children from deciding whether or not to be gay.

The Republican belief, supported by no science, but only by their own bigotry, is that before 4th grade, kids make a decision to be straight or to be gay, and misled children will be influenced to make the wrong decision. 

So, keeping them ignorant is the only way to prevent gayness.

In the GOP/DeSantis world, ignorance not only is encouraged but required.

(In DeSantis’s fevered mind, gay teachers are making a concerted effort to turn otherwise straight kids into gay kids. I’m not sure where he got this information — I never have heard of this effort — or why he personally feels so threatened by gay people.)

Perhaps he himself has yearnings he cannot explain.

At any rate, that bill comes on top of Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act,” another Republican thought-control measure to prevent the teaching of America’s racial history (slavery, bigotry, et al), because such historical facts might make some students feel guilty about what their ancestors did. 

Again, keeping kids ignorant of the facts we don’t like is what the GOP believes schools should do. (This may especially be true in the American South, where slavery denial resembles Holocaust denial in its effect.)

According to the DeSantis laws, parents (who clearly know more about teaching than teachers who graduated with degrees in Education) have the right to sue teachers for teaching anything that makes kids uncomfortable. (Like algebra or music?)

We feel that the DeSantidiots have not gone far enough in their unrelenting efforts to pander to the least intelligent among us. (May I use the word, “intelligent”?) So we offer these suggestions for things about which parents may wish to sue teachers: 

Teachers and school boards can be sued for teaching how, in America:

1. Tall kids have beat up on short kids (It’s OK to be short.)
2. Christians have bullied Jews (It’s OK to be Jewish.)
3. Christians have bullied Muslims (It’s OK to be Muslim.)
4. Citizens have bullied immigrants (It’s OK to be an immigrant.)
5. Whites have attacked Native Americans (It’s OK to be a Native American>)
6. Blacks were enslaved (Slavery is bad.)
7. Whites were bigoted toward blacks, browns, yellows, and reds (Bigotry is bad.)
8. Straights bullied gays (It’s OK to be gay.)
9. There are health problems with being overweight (Heavy can be a medical  problem but should not be a social problem.)
10. People prefer clear skin to pimples (Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the pimples emerge, but eventually they go away.)
11. Divorce vs staying in an abusive marriage (What constitutes an abusive relationship and how not to be an abuser or abused.)
12. Getting good grades is better than getting bad grades. (How to get help with your grades.)
13. Some kids benefit from special education (Needing special education does not mean you’re dumb.)
14. Winning is better than losing. (Even if you lose, you’re not a “loser.”)
15. Physically or mentally disabled children have been bullied (We can give you love and attention)

You probably could think of more topics to ban and school books to burn, all in the service of parents’ rights and student comfort.

In order to keep children as ignorant and misinformed as possible, the “dont say gay” bill requires the school district to ban the teaching of LGBTQ topics in the classroom.

Schools would not be allowed to “encourage” (whatever “encourage” means) discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in primary grade levels, or in a manner that is not “age-appropriate” or “developmentally appropriate” for students.

What a wonderful “gotcha” clause that is, since no two people on this planet will agree on what is “age-appropriate” and “developmentally appropriate,” but if you, a teacher, guess wrong, you will be sued.

This guarantees that education will descend to the lowest, least meaningful, least informative level. To avoid being sued, the wise teacher will teach nothing, thereby cementing Florida’s educational reputation.

Parents who feel their child was subjected to a discussion or educated about, gender identity and sexual orientation have the right to take legal action and sue the school district for violating the bill.

Let’s parse that statement:

1. Parents may sue based only on a feeling. (“Your honor, I filed suit because I have a feeling something is wrong.”)
2. Their kid need not even partake in the discussion of the prohibited subjects; he simply can overhear or even know about such a discussion
3. Gender identity can mean anything from addressing the teacher as “Mrs.” Jones, to “Miss” Jones, to “Ms.” Jones. If the teaches wants to be called “Ms.,” that alone educates the kids about gender identity and is grounds for suit.
4. If a gay kid is bullied by straight kids, and the teacher tries to tell the straight kids that’s not OK, the school district and the teacher can be sued for teaching about sexual orientation.

The Republican party, who proposed the bill, says the aim of House Bill 1557 is to limit these discussions from Kindergarten to 3rd grade.

“It just says we don’t talk about these things until kids are out of third grade. That’s all it says,” said the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Joe Harding, (R-Williston).

So if a 3rd-grade kid asks, “Why does Jimmy wear nail polish?” the teacher cannot answer, for any answer at all could be considered “talking about,” or “discussing” gender identification.

An Oklahoma Senate bill would ban public schools from employing anyone who “promotes positions in the classroom or at any function of the public school that is in opposition to closely held religious beliefs of students,” which would in many cases deny people of a job based on their religious beliefs.

Allow cheeseburgers to be among the dishes served at a party attended by orthodox Jewish kids and get sued. Or allow the kids to eat almost anything on Lent and you’re in big trouble.

Schedule classroom days on any of the dozens of Jewish holidays (plus every Saturday), along with the various Christian, Muslim, and other religions’ holidays, and you will be sued. (Hmm, does National Pfeffernüsse Day, every December 23, count?)

And lest you believe the GOP is opposed to “Cancel Culture” only for the very young, the bill also would ban requiring public university courses on “gender, sexual, or racial diversity, equality, or inclusion”.

I’m not sure who would do the requiring, and why only public universities but not private universities, but the intent seems to be to keep everyone as ignorant as DeSantis followers, and that truly is ignorant.

What is it about Republicans vs. sex and race? They dost protest too much.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell Monetary Sovereignty Twitter: @rodgermitchell Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

……………………………………………………………………..

THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE.

The most important problems in economics involve:

1. Monetary Sovereignty describes money creation and destruction.
2. Gap Psychology describes the common desire to distance oneself from those “below” in any socio-economic ranking, and to come nearer those “above.” The socio-economic distance is referred to as “The Gap.”

Wide Gaps negatively affect poverty, health and longevity, education, housing, law and crime, war, leadership, ownership, bigotry, supply and demand, taxation, GDP, international relations, scientific advancement, the environment, human motivation and well-being, and virtually every other issue in economics. Implementation of Monetary Sovereignty and The Ten Steps To Prosperity can grow the economy and narrow the Gaps: Ten Steps To Prosperity:

1. Eliminate FICA
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D, plus long-term care — for everyone
3. Social Security for all
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone
5. Salary for attending school
6. Eliminate federal taxes on business
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction, annually. 
8. Tax the very rich (the “.1%”) more, with higher progressive tax rates on all forms of income.
9. Federal ownership of all banks
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99.9% 

The Ten Steps will grow the economy and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and the rest.

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY