North Carolina's Democrat governor seeks donations to fight 'bigoted' parents rights bill | Just The News
By: Victor Skinner (Just The News)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is soliciting donations to fight the "bigoted, anti-LGBTQ+ extremists" in the General Assembly who want parents to have a say in their children's education.
Cooper sent out a fundraising email last week that attacked Republicans who reintroduced a Parents' Bill of Rights legislation. He compared it to Florida, where last year put parameters on teaching sexual orientation or gender identity.
Cooper is term-limited and will be succeeded in the 2024 gubernatorial election. He's risen through the ranks of the state House, Senate and 16 years as state attorney general.
"North Carolina's GOP legislators just announced plans to pass their very own version of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill - a law that has silenced teachers from having age-appropriate conversations with their students and ostracizes LGBTQ+ students and families," Cooper wrote. "It's blatant political pandering, and it's just plain wrong."
Cooper noted that Republicans hold a veto-proof supermajority in the Senate and are within one seat of the same in the House, following gains in the November election.
A similar Parents' Bill of Rights cleared the Senate in June 2022, but did not receive a vote in the House. Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, told the media at the time he did not believe the lower chamber had enough votes to override a likely veto from Cooper.
This year's Senate Bill 49 would guarantee parents access to a variety of education records and materials, while prohibiting schools from creating, sharing or storing biometric data, blood, DNA, and video or voice recordings without written parental consent.
The bill also requires schools to create a process for resolving parental complaints, and subjects state employees to disciplinary action if they attempt to encourage or coerce a child to withhold information from a parent.
Cooper's grievances seemingly center on a provision in the bill that addresses age-appropriate lessons for young students that reads, in part, "Instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality shall not be included in the curriculum provided in grades kindergarten through fourth grade, regardless of whether the information is provided by school personnel or third parties."
In his fundraising email, the Democratic governor made it clear he believes school officials should make the determination of when students would be exposed to those topics.
"Look, public school teachers and administrators are the ones who should be determining what and how to teach," Cooper wrote. "They're the experts."
Cooper contends provisions in SB49 "aren't designed to protect kids. They're a capitulation to radical right-wingers who hold extreme views and want to silence anyone they disagree with."
"We can't let bigoted, anti-LGBTQ+ extremists dictate how our teachers teach or prevent students from expressing themselves in school," Cooper's fundraising solicitation read. "We HAVE to elect leaders we can count on to defend our rights and treat all North Carolinians with dignity."
Democrats in the General Assembly in early February unveiled a competing Senate Bill 74, dubbed the "Parents' and Students' Bill of Rights," which the bill's sponsor, Sen. Michael Garrett of Guilford County, described as a "thoughtful alternative."
SB74 focuses on 10 rights for parents and 14 for students that include things like "a fully resourced classroom," "a learning environment in which discrimination in all forms is not tolerated." It also has due process for discipline, freedom from searches, and mediation and substance abuse programming, among other provisions.
SB49 cleared the Senate on Feb. 7 with a vote of 29-18, and no support from Democrats. It's now in the Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House. SB74 has not moved since it was referred to the committee of the same name in the Senate.
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So in typical Democrat fashion Governor Cooper is going after parents for wanting a say in their child education.
These parts seem like common sense; so of course he is against them.
Experts? He must be defining that term very damn loosely.
How many them are specifically experts in child psychology and development with a full PHD?
Even if they are "experts" parents have a right to say how their children are educated. This isn't Communist China, Soviet Union, North Korea, Iran, or Cuba yet.
they are "experts" parents have a right to say how their children are educated.
There's a cult of the credentialed that some people adhere to that baffles me, especially when it comes to caring for your own child. Particularly in public education, "credentials" can obtained from diploma mills that require littler more than checks that clear and a modicum of effort.
"Cooper's grievances seemingly center on a provision in the bill that addresses age-appropriate lessons for young students that reads, in part, "Instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality shall not be included in the curriculum provided in grades kindergarten through fourth grade, regardless of whether the information is provided by school personnel or third parties."
"Look, public school teachers and administrators are the ones who should be determining what and how to teach," Cooper wrote. "They're the experts.""
They might be experts as how to teach but they are not experts in what to teach and what is age appropriate for young kids. That is parents. And if some parents want to teach kids over and beyond what the school does then they can do so at home, not subject all kids to what they feel is right.
P.S. The people that continue to use "Don't say Gay" as a talking point just prove they have a weak argument since they need to lie about the bill.
The anti-LGBTQ gop bills are already backfiring!
The gop is mad people are living their best lives.
Americans are not buying the gop's hateful shit...
There aren't any
The gop is mad people are living their best lives.
Unless you can prove it you are just spewing more bullshit that I have come to expect.
Americans are not buying the gop's hateful shit...
Americans are pushing back on the woke agenda and indoctrination of their children. Coopers bullshit email plea is proof of that.
Why is it suddenly so dangerous if kids are entertained by men in drag red states are making it a crime? Are those laws really to protect children or persecute gays?
The fact that you are trying to equate the meme with what the left is trying to do today is sad. The fact that you resort to this meme to try and prove a point shows how little you have. Thanks.
No, why now for these gop anti-LGTB laws?
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You keep doubling down on nothing and only make it impossible for anyone to take you seriously. Not that I ever do.
Except my point is that the vast majority of American voters today want nothing to do with the gop's anti-LGBTQ agenda.
Americans are happy living with equality.
There is no groundswell of gop support...
Billing persecution of LGBTQ Americans as "Protecting Children" is not working. The hundreds of anti-LGBTQ laws now going forward in red states are laughworthy crap!
Unconstitutional waste of America's time!
No such thing. That is just making the rest of your comment.....caca.
Instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality shall not be included in the curriculum provided in grades kindergarten through fourth grade, regardless of whether the information is provided by school personnel or third parties."
That sounds like common sense and sounds pretty reasonable to me.
LGBTQ Americans are not being prosecuted. They have equality by law. They do not have universal acceptance though
Do you have kids?
Which is why Democrats control the House and have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
Oh....
wait....
Then why are they standing up to school boards and being targeted by Garland and bottom feeders like Cooper?
Haters aren't representative of Americans!
These people aren't most Americans today.
It is abnormal to be so hateful in America!
When you have nothing you try to derail the seed. Kinda pathetic and sad.
Is only hate inspired speech allowed now?
Why are you asking ignorant questions?
Why are you defending anti-LGBTQ laws?
Especially since they're losing you votes?
Why are you constantly spreading misinformation?
You're being allowed to be hateful and make a fool of yourself, but we've come to expect from you.
Most normal Americans, especially responsible parents, don't support the wacky and weird ideas you're trying to push.