A bill filed by Representative Stacey Campfield of Knoxville would ban “any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality” in the Tennessee's public schools.

“Campfield says the bill was a response to a National Education Association resolution that suggests schools provide information on diversity of sexual orientation and gender identification in sex-education classes. ‘I think the schools should stick to the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic. And maybe some civics,' says Campfield. ‘But teaching transgenderism to middle school students … I don't think that's the road we should go down. I think that's what parents should be doing.' Currently, individual school boards decide whether or not sexual orientation and gender identity will be discussed within the sex-ed curriculum. Memphis City School officials are currently considering a new curriculum that would address sexual orientation and gender identity. Shelby County School officials did not return phone calls by press time.”

Campfield thinks heterosexual sex should be discussed because of procreation: “If I were to say ‘Jack and Jill went up the hill' or ‘George Washington and Martha Washington were husband and wife,' there are groups out there that would say we were pushing a heterosexual agenda. To keep those lawsuits from coming, I thought we should still be able to talk about that side of it.”

Gimme a break.

Don't Say “Gay” [memphis flyer]