Chambana Sun

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) stands against Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris’ (D-Chicago) criticism of the Florida bill that disallows public schools from discussing sexual orientation with young children. 

“I am frankly tired of how this legislation in Florida is being misrepresented," Halbrook told Chambana Sun. "The national press is deliberately lying about this bill and what it does.”

The Parental Rights in Education bill, which will be implemented on July 1, was favored by the Florida House with 69-47 votes and the Florida Senate passed it 22-17. Harris immediately sent his support to the Florida LGBTQ community through Twitter in which he said he is "proud that in Illinois we protect our LGBTQ families, teach our history and stand with our LGBTQ youth. He also said he is "proud to be the LGBTQ House Majority Leader, from a district with an LGBTQ Senator, a city with a LGBTQ mayor and a ward with an LGBTQ."

“The intent behind the bill is to protect young kids from being sexualized," Halbrook said. "The real tragedy is not that Florida passed this legislation. The real tragedy is that the legislation was needed in the first place. If you think it is OK for adults to introduce explicit sexual topics to young kids — you are on the wrong side of history.”

The bill's text says, "classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

“We spend most of our lives as adults," Halbrook added. "Why is there such a desire on the part of some to destroy the innocence of childhood? Kids should be free to be kids. There is nothing to be gained by introducing explicit materials [to] young kids. It is perverted and wrong.”

Adults engaging with young children about sex, according to Kristin Jenson of Defend Young Minds, an anti-child-sex-abuse organization, is a "grooming behavior... parents should recognize.”

Last year, an uproar at the local school board level and concerned parents expressed their dismay with children's access to a graphics art novel by Maia Kobabe was available across Illinois libraries. The book included illustrated scenes of graphic gay sex. Many communities such as those concerned parents in Downers Grove 99 are questioning its place and the place for other such books in public education.