The 50 Spot: Children's Best Interests

We noted last week that an anti-LGBT state legislator in Massachusetts was trying to work a bill up that would require teachers to get the written permission of parents in order to discuss "human sexuality issues" in the classroom, which many saw as an effort to limit discussion of homosexuality and sexual orientation in schools. Today we've got Mombian's take on this icky piece of legislation, and why it is not in the best interests of children for legislators to pass this bill.  And speaking of children, we're also heading to Tennessee in today's 50 spot, where a bill to ban gays and lesbians from adopting is moving forward in the State House and State Senate.  Like the Massachusetts bill, this proposed piece of legislation punishes children.  It's all the more tragic that there are more kids waiting for adoption in Tennessee than there are families able to adopt them.  More below.

Massachusetts: Dana Rudolph, who writes the blog Mombian, has an excellent piece up on the Web site of Bay Windows, dissecting a very bad bill proposed by Massachusetts State Rep. Brad Jones, the House Minority Leader. Jones's bill would require public school teachers to get the written approval of parents before discussing "human sexuality issues" in the classroom, including sexual orientation. As Rudolph points out, the language in this bill is so open-ended, it would make it next to impossible for teachers to know what they should (or could) bring up in a classroom. As Rudolph writes: "...the bill’s broad wording would make it very hard for teachers on the front lines to know what is permitted and what is not. 'Sexual orientation issues' is vague enough that when Billy wants to talk about baking cookies with his two moms, or when Jane wants to share pictures of herself and her two uncles going to the circus, teachers might quash the conversations, afraid of violating the law. What message does that send to the children? How does it impact their confidence about themselves and their families?" Rudolph also points out that this bill would have very negative implications for LGBT students, who would be forced to come out to their parents before joining school-wide gay/straight alliances.

Tennessee: Despite a shortage of people looking to adopt children, Tennessee legislators are moving forward with a bill to ban adoption by gays and lesbians. House Bill 0605 and Senate Bill 0078 would deny adoption of a minor to anyone who’s in a sexual relationship other than being legally married.  According David Shelton with Clarksville Online, there are over 300 children who are still waiting just to be considered by a prospective parent or parents to be adopted in Tennessee.  Now those 300+ children will face yet another obstacle.  This can't be said enough: banning gays and lesbians from adopting children punishes children first and foremost.