Take a look at headlines these days and you'll probably be unable to tell what century you're in. Somehow, it's still acceptable to publicly advocate for ostracizing gay people. In Missouri, just talking about homosexuality anywhere but at home is apparently a problem.
That's the essence of House Bill 2051 making its way through the Missouri state legislature, re-titled by opposition the "Don't Say Gay" bill. The bill says "no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school."
Basically, unless you're talking about the sheer fact that it's possible for two men to have sex, nothing about sexual orientation can be talked about in Missouri schools.
Bad news for the '70s, which had many historical events tied to LBGT. No teaching about Kathy Kozachenko, the first openly gay candidate elected to office in the U.S.
You can forget about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to office in the U.S., and his impact on the gay rights and counter-culture movement. Don't even think about mentioning his homosexuality if you want to teach about the "Twinkie defense" during his assassin's trial.
Beyond the '70s, Missouri wants to prevent children from knowing that Massachusetts was the first state to legalize gay marriage. Even if you agree or disagree with the idea, isn't that an important moment in history?
Apparently not, according to Missouri. It's no longer the Show-Me State. Now it's the Shut-Up State.
We've seen legislators try to inject their ideological stance into the classroom before in red states with creationist laws aimed at teaching intelligent design "theories," but this takes that precedent into very dangerous territory.
Not only is it aiming at forcing teachers to stop teaching something they deem important, it's sending a horrible message to gay children. At schools, the place where we try to ensure our kids' safety, they're feeling more threatened than ever.
As we've seen over the last few months, this is doubly important for children just coming to terms with their sexuality. Jamey Rodemeyer in Williamsville, and, more recently, Kenneth Weishuhn of Iowa have both become high profile images of the bullying that gay teens face and its deadly consequences.
Yet, sadly, Missouri is telling those children that it's not OK for teachers to talk about homosexuality except in a cold, scientific sense. It's telling those kids that their history isn't welcome, no matter how important it is.
Major supporters of the bill call it an attempt to keep a very political subject out of the classroom and in the home. Yet, it's doubtful that any politicians would suggest that Roe v. Wade should not be taught in classrooms. It too is charged politically, yet it is a vitally important moment in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Amendments to the bill aim to allow for current events teaching on LBGT issues, but that alone is not nearly enough to save it. The history of LBGT people in the U.S., whether you think homosexuality is wrong or right, is an important aspect of the history of our great nation.
Winners will inevitably write history. In the scope of time, it's clear that bigots are always the losers.
