In a legislative session unusually rich with proposed solutions to nonexistent problems, this one stands out: a bill to subject teachers and others to criminal penalties for “knowingly, intentionally, willfully or recklessly” displaying or disseminating obscene materials in K-12 schools. Under current law, state Rep. Lance Kinzer (in photo), R-Olathe, said, “Materials illegally sold at a porn shop would be legal if displayed in a kindergarten class.”
Raising the obvious question: Who has been displaying porn in Kansas kindergarten classrooms? Kinzer couldn’t cite an example of the problem for his colleagues. Yet House Bill 2200 passed out of the Federal and State Affairs Committee this week.
Do lawmakers really think so little of the state’s educators?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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29 Comments
What?? Go out and write meaningful legislation? You expected them to perhaps figure out how to raise minimum wage or to cut taxes for the middle class? The only thing our legislature is concerned with is how much money they can save businesses before they drive workers out of the state.
Next, you’ll expect them not to write a law banning books that are deemed “morally questionable” without ever reading them.
Benjamin Hodge (have you seen his picture? Michael P. Keeton, look to your laurels), Lance Kinzer… take away Sue Storm and Cindy Neighbor from the delegation from the evil empire of Johnson County, and… what a bunch of maroons!Living proof of what Molly Ivins said: “Republicans go around saying government doesn’t work… and then they get elected to prove it.”
Oops, Alex P Keeton…
Next he’ll bring out a bill banning wild, rabid animals running loose in the classroom.Our hero.
Are there any real existing problems we could steer this guy onto?Or better yet, just get him some “busy work” until we get a replacement.
Is this clown related to Phil Kline?He appears to be similiarly “challenged”.Challenged by reality, that is.
RepubliCONs continue to be parodies of themselves.
This creep is a moron, and this bill is going nowhere. My guess is it’s a “payback” for a $250 campaign contribution from one of Phillkline’s or Phred Phelps’ motley band of disciples.
He probably heard the rhetoric from his pastor at his church, and then decided to do something about it to make himself look good in front of his congregation.
No teacher is going to display the latest issue of Hustler to kids.
Another ridiculous law.
I agree, worthless bills and resolutions happen all the time up there in topeka.
for instance, that betts resolution about the war.
but, of course, holman doesn’t think that is useless.
A resolution is not a law.
Duh.
It SEEMS silly, doesn’t it? Rediculous even.
Oh folks, be very wary of laws like this one.
Who defines what is and is not pornography? Does that get crafted in the underlanguage somewhere by some legal eagle of unknown agenda?
Is Michaelangelos “David” pornography?
I find images of george bush profane. Do I get to ask my kids teacher to take a picture of him down?
Poindexter: God forbid, I defend Rhonda on anything, but, in this case, she is denouncing this moronic resolution…not claiming its importance. Better re-read the editorial, especially the closing.
JR: The definition of pornography has been beaten to death in case after case after case, ad nauseum, not unlike a “dead horse”. You’re absolutely correct. This is another Phillkline-Phred Phelps inspired crock of shit.
If these folks ever catch on to how stupid they look, it will take all the fun out of laughing at them.
I always enjoy seeing just how much of an idiot they can make of themselves and not have a clue as to what they’re doing.
Dennis: LOL. How true!
Heh heh
Funny story here.
In my junior year of high school, I snuck into my World history class when no one was around.Now before any of our more strait laced posters get mad at me, REMEMBER this is not grade school. This was mostly grown kids in high school.
I rolled down the map of Europe and taped a Playboy centerfold to it.
Some time later, the teacher went to use that map.
This guy was 30ish and one of the better teachers. He rolled down the map and without missing a BEAT said “Well Europe sure has changed!”
And, no doubt, he was one of your best remembered teachers, and, I don’t doubt, one of your best teachers. Anybody that quick on their feet couldn’t help but be good!
I’m with JR on this one. The law itself is, of course, ridiculous. But what is the underlying issue? Why are they even bringing it up? It seems odd that it comes up around the time the children’s book with the word “scrotum” in it is causing such a stir. Is this another censorship issue disguised in sheep’s clothing?
Here’s the underlying (emphasis on “lying”) issue:
Right Wingnuts are going after Sex Education.
MHawk, I agree; it’s sex ed that is the true, but hidden, focus of this bill.
A chilling eventual result of this kind of thinking:http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/13/0753209
Yes, it happened in America.
It wasn’t that long ago in American history that instructions on how to use a diaphram or other forms of contraception would get you put in jail on charges of obscenity. No doubt the sex obsessed Republican would outlaw tampons in schools since someone could view them as obscene, the same with cards that tell people how to perform a breast exam to check for cancer.
Kizner it a nut. Why do conservatives work overtime in trying to embarrass Kansas?
This actually might be good. Think about it. The legal definition of obscene needs some serious revisiting. Under this bill, they would not be able to teach sex ed because any likeness of a phallic object is considered obscene.
SO no health, no science dealing with any of the body, no sex ed.
It might force the legislators to finally come up with something better.
Which would ultimately protect the porn shops.
And I do think the porn shops have a right to exist.
So many of these “religious” rightwing issues have nothing to do with public policy. They exist only to rally the “Christians” into voting Republican.
Falwell, Robertson, Dobson, et al are in it to be power brokers. Religion has nothing to do with their “ministries.” They can sell books, sell videos, sell “prayer cloths anoited in Madison Square Garden” to the twice-born and cut a fine profit. They can steer their sheep to vote for this Republican or another. They can fly their corporate jets all over the country and, since they are “religious” organizations, they do it tax-free.
If we got past evolution or pictures of people’s naughty parts, or two people in love who want to make a lifetime committment to each other someone might begin to question all the tax breaks the United States Internal Revenue Service gives to clergy, “religious” organizations, parsonages, cars, jets, etc.
Every church you drive past is a business. They are, perhaps, worthwhile enterprises which provide spiritual teaching, meeting rooms, fellowship, counseling, a place to get married, a room to hold your funeral, music, etc. But they are a business. In a true application of separation of church and state, every “religious” organization from the Roman Catholics to the Presbyterians to the $cientologists to Phred Felps’ outfit would pay the same taxes as any enterprise that is in business and pays salaries and attracts a clientel.
Someday, far into the future, the people will elect a government that realizes that government-subsidized mythology (which is de facto what’s going on when churches get so many, many tax breaks) is not what America is supposed to be about.
So, in the meantime, as a defensive measure, the “religious” conjure up all sorts of inflammatory non-issues to rouse the rabble. As long as the baptized-but-unwashed masses pony up the bucks to fight science and faggots and teenaged loose women, the tidy little tax-free conspiracy of religion in America will be safe.
Don’t believe me? You’re wrong. Jesus told me it’s true. Disagree with me and you’re disagreeing with Jesus and you’re goin’ to Hell.
Jesus. He’s the cat who threw the money changers of the temple, right?
MH is right. We could use some of that action today.
Funny how all of you think it is fine for the legislature to define what is acceptable free speech with their stupid funeral protest bill.
Are these the same people that always talk about how public schools promote loose sexual conduct, bad morals, crime and homosexuality? Now they are handing out porn too?? Jesus! I checked my daughter’s classes and I found this to be true! Her schedule is:1st Hour- Homosexuality II2nd Hour- Pornographic Arts I3rd Hour- Sexual Methods and Procedures4th Hour- Sexuality in Music5th Hour- Shoplifting II without getting sent to Beloit6th Hour- Atheism II
Kinser is just taking out the trash for the Blue Valley school district. They got their panties in a wad over some books they thought where “dirty”. They couldn’t get the school district to cow to their demands so they get Kinser to introduce a bill to arrest a teacher for promoting obsenity if they assign the readings they don’t like.