The NC GOP's Child Molester Protection Act and other thoughts

In their attempt to weaken our public schools, Republicans have empowered child abusers

Back in the summer, Republicans in North Carolina passed a so-called “Parent’s Bill of Rights.” It was one of those bills meant to assuage the imaginary fears of conservative parents who believe that public schools are indoctrinating their kids and turning them gay or transgender or something like that. The bill has been the impetus for banning books because Republicans believe they can keep sinful information away from our children. Wait until they find out about the internet.

Turns out the bill is also protecting sex offenders. That’s right. A section of the new law reads, “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 response, school systems are halting programs designed to teach children about proper and improper touching. It’s a child molesters dream.

I spent about three years as a child neglect and abuse investigator. It’s been a long time ago, but I know a little bit about sex offenders and victims. The perpetrators aren’t all just youth ministers or Catholic priests. Many, if not most, of them are members of the family or friends of the family. In a lot of cases, the children are not sure they are being molested because they trust their abuser. Safe touch programs can give them the information they need to stop the inappropriate behavior.

Republicans, though, are obsessed with keeping any information about sex or sexuality away from children. They are more concerned with protecting children from the imaginary threat of teachers or books making them gay than the real threat of child abusers in their homes. The Parent’s Bill of Rights is really just another shot in the GOP’s assault on public education, but the victims of this law are also the victims of child abuse.

Speaking of misguided Republicans, Tricia Cotham made another dubious list. The online magazine Buzzfeed has a list titled, “People Are Sharing The Wildest Thing That Happened To *That One Kid* From High School, Because Every High School Has One.” Number 8 on the list reads:

"I went to school with this girl who was always a 'pick me' type. Twenty-five years later, she was in the news — she ran for the state House of Representatives as a Democrat and then switched parties after winning. Rumor is that she was having an affair with a Republican Party leader and planned the whole thing. That changed vote caused abortion to be outlawed in my state. Screw you, Tricia."

Cotham also voted to protect sex offenders. I suspect the constituents in the new district her GOP masters drew for her will hear about her record. She single-handedly gave the GOP the votes to restrict access to abortion and to help child molesters avoid detection. I can’t wait for the ads.

In other news, candidate filings have begun in North Carolina. Candidates have until December 15 to file for office if they are running under a party banner. Independents will have until the March primary to gather enough signatures to get on the general election ballot.

Dr. Chris Cooper, professor of political science at Western Carolina University, explains that North Carolina will have few competitive races for legislature or Congress. Gerrymandering here has made the most competitive races primaries. In other words, candidates will ru

n to the extremes to attract the more ideological primary voters and, unlike the past, never have to run back to the middle to attract more moderate general election voters. You can thank the Republicans controlling redistricting for promoting polarization and extremism in the legislature.

Today’s post is really just more examples of how Republicans are bad for North Carolina. The law of unintended consequences exposed the folly of their Parent’s Bill of Rights, protecting molesters and leaving victims more vulnerable. Tricia Cotham’s self-interested party-switch continues to make her the scorn of people across the state and nation, making her seat a top target for a Democratic pickup. And the GOP’s anti-democratic attempt at minority rule is making our state less competitive and more extreme. The GOP has is making a mess of North Carolina.